title: Right heart failure due to a fistula between a giant aortic pseudoaneurysm and the left atrium: a late complication after cardiovascular surgery.
abstract: : A 69-year-old woman, treated 5 years before with mechanical aortic valve and vascular prosthesis of ascending aorta implantation for severe aortic regurgitation and dilation of ascending aorta, was referred to our center for dyspnea and peripheral edema. The transthoracic echocardiography showed a giant pseudoaneurysm incorporating the vascular prosthesis and a fistula of it with the left atrium. These findings were confirmed using the transesophageal echocardiogram, cardiac computed tomography, and during cardiac surgery, which was performed 5 days later. The reparative intervention consisted of suturing of both the connections; the patient survived the surgery, but she died 6 weeks later due to infectious complications.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa bSecond Cardiovascular Department, University Hospital of Pisa, Ospedale Cisanello, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anca I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Corciu
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fontanive
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cori
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bongiorni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery