Congenital submitral aneurysm and sinus of valsalva aneurysm.

Submitral aneurysm (SMA) is congenital outpouching of the left ventricular (LV) wall invariably occurring adjacent to the posterior leaflet of mitral valve. SMA is typically diagnosed in young adults who present with severe mitral regurgitation, heart failure, systemic embolism, and sudden cardiac death. African blacks account for the majority of the reported SMA cases. Our report of the very rare combination of SMA with aortic sinus aneurysm lends support to the congenital origin of this pathology occurring due to developmental deficiency in the fusion of myocardium and cardiac fibro skeleton. Complete diagnosis was made by transthoracic echocardiography. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 21, May 2004)