title: Congenital giant left atrial appendage aneurysm: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare cardiac anomaly with potentially serious complications, including life-threatening systemic thromboembolism, atrial tachyarrhythmia, and cardiac dysfunction. Currently, early surgical intervention is generally recommended to prevent these complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case of congenital giant LAAA in a female patient who successfully completed pregnancy and underwent caesarean section with no obvious complications. Surgical resection of the LAAA was performed 3 years later, at the onset of chest pain resulting from compression of adjacent cardiac structures by the LAAA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical resection is recommended for the majority of patients with LAAA because of potential LAAA-related severe outcomes. However, clinical monitoring may be an optional strategy for asymptomatic patients without intra-atrial thrombus or other complications. Precise evaluation with echocardiography and brain magnetic resonance imaging is valuable for the subsequent management of LAAA.
authors.affiliation: Echocardiography and Vascular Ultrasound Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Echocardiography and Vascular Ultrasound Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mou
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No.79, Qing-Chun Road, Hangzhou, China. s0hu0001@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shen-Jiang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020517:Atrial Appendage; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Case report; Echocardiography; Left atrial appendage aneurysm; Pregnancy