Diagnosis of recurrent left ventricular pseudoaneurysm by echocardiography with color flow imaging

Summary: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysms are a rare complication of myocardial rupture. The diagnosis is para- mount because of the propensity of pseudoaneurysms to rupture. Color flow imaging has been reported to be an aid in the diagnosis of pseudoaneurysms. We recently studied a patient with a myocardial infarction who deve- loped ii left ventricular pseudoaneurysm. Diagnosis was made by two-dimensional imaging with color flow imag- ing. Hc subsequently had a repair procedure with a gor- tex graft. One week after repair, repeat echocardiography with color flow imaging showed flow into the aneurys- mal sac at multiple sites, consistent with recurrence ofthe pseudoaneurysm. Echocardiography with color flow im- aging provides a safe noninvasive diagnostic tool for evaluating pseudoaneurysms preoperatively and in assess- ing the competency of the repair postoperatively. Key words: pseudoaneurysms, echocardiography, color flow inraging Introduction Left ventricular pseudoaneurysms are a rare complica- tion of myocardial rupture. They occur most commonly after myocardial infarction, postcardiac surgery, trauma, and cndocarditis.