title: Thrombosed aneurysm of the left sinus of valsalva presenting as an intramyocardial mass.
abstract: Aneurysms of the sinuses of Valsalva are uncommon in clinical practice. Most are congenital, but secondary causes are also recognized. Congenital aneurysms of the left sinus of Valsalva are particularly rare. The authors report a fatal case in which a nonruptured aneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva dissected into the interventricular septum and presented as heart failure. The concurrent presence of dilated cardiomyopathy and the mechanisms that may have led to it are discussed on the basis of the anatomic and histologic features found at autopsy.
authors.affiliation: CHLN-Hospital Santa Maria, Department of Cardiology I, Lisbon Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal. silvamarques.j@gmail.com
authors.forename: João Silva
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Manuel Gato
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.forename: Ana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Nuno Cortez
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Fausto J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sargento
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Palha
authors.forename: Dulce
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Mário G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001344:Autopsy; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054088:Ventricular Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology