title: Sudden heart failure due to a ruptured posterior Valsalva sinus aneurysm into the right atrium: feasibility of catheter closure using the Amplatzer duct occluder.
abstract: Valsalva sinus aneurysms are usually congenital and relatively rare and tend to be more frequent in adults. Rupture of these aneurysms can result in sudden death or in an abrupt and rapid progressive heart failure. Surgical repair is the traditional treatment of choice. We report the case of a 48-year-old female with a ruptured posterior non-coronary Valsalva sinus aneurysm, resulting in an anomalous aorto-right atrial fistula. Successful percutaneous catheter closure of the massive left-to-right shunt by using the Amplatzer duct occluder is presented.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Humanitas Gavazzeni Clinic, Bergamo, Italy. eonorato@libero.it
authors.forename: Eustaquio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onorato
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casilli
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbala-Mukendi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perlasca
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bortone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arena
mesh_terms: D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva