title: Surgical treatment of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare condition because in most instances ventricular free-wall rupture leads to fatal pericardial tamponade. Rupture of the free wall of the left ventricle is a catastrophic complication of myocardial infarction, occurring in approximately 4% of patients with infarcts, resulting in immediate collapse of the patient and electromechanical dissociation. In rare cases the rupture is contained by pericardial and fibrous tissue, and the result is a pseudoaneurysm. The left ventricular pseudoaneurysm contains only pericardial and fibrous elements in its wall-no myocardial tissue. Because such aneurysms have a strong tendency to rupture, this disorder may lead to death if it is left surgically untreated.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case report, we present a patient who underwent successful repair of a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm, which followed a myocardial infarction that was caused by occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery. Although repair of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is still a surgical challenge, it can be performed with acceptable results in most patients.
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mujanovic
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergsland
authors.forename: Sevleta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avdic
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stanimirovic-Mujanovic
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kovacevic-Preradovic
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kabil
mesh_terms: D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000150:complications; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery