title: Subepicardial aneurysm of the left ventricle.
abstract: Three patients are presented in whom a subepicardial aneurysm developed as a complication of a myocardial infarction. This aneurysm of the left ventricle is unusual and has 3 distinctive traits: an abrupt interruption of the myocardium that comprises the mouth and typically a narrow neck of the aneurysm; aneurysmal wall comprised of epicardium with or without a thin myocardial layer; and a propensity to rupture spontaneously regardless of the wall components or stage of development. All 3 patients were given a diagnosis using echocardiography and underwent immediate surgical aneurysmectomy. One patient died as a result of renal and respiratory failure postoperatively. The long-term outcome of the other 2 patients was favorable without evidence of additional cardiac rupture or instability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: T Jared
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bunch
authors.forename: Jae K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Roger L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Click
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications