title: Delayed presentation of left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm after penetrating cardiac trauma.
abstract: We report a case of posttraumatic left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm in a patient who had a stab injury to the chest requiring emergency operation 40 years previously. After apparent decades without symptoms, the patient presented with exertional dyspnea. Clinical and echocardiographic assessment revealed aortic regurgitation and left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm. Injuries to the chest wall that penetrate the heart and great vessels are life-threatening and require emergency operative intervention. However, these injuries rarely, as in this case, result in chronic cardiac aneurysm and aortic valvular incompetence.
authors.affiliation: George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: Shamik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aikat
authors.forename: Conor F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lundergan
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Adkins
authors.forename: Jannet F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*