title: Giant aneurysm of the atrial septum associated with premature closure of foramen ovale.
abstract: Premature closure or restriction of foramen ovale (PCFO) is a rare congenital anomaly that can lead to a wide spectrum of cardiac malformations. This spectrum of secondary malformations appears to depend on the gestational timing of closure of the foramen ovale and to the degree of restriction. Earlier in the gestation, closure of the foramen has been associated with severe hypoplasia of the left ventricle whereas later closure has been associated with right heart failure and rarely with the formation of an aneurysm of the atrial septum. We describe the case of a 1 day old infant in whom PCFO resulted in severe right heart failure in addition to the formation of a giant atrial septal aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Intensive Care, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA. chrycx@chp.edu
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chrysostomou
authors.forename: Rita L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Romaguera
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography