Indian Heart Journal (Sep 2016)

Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the left atrium complicated by cerebral embolism: A report of two cases with review of literature

  • Jagdish C. Mohan,
  • Madhu Shukla,
  • Vishwas Mohan,
  • Arvind Sethi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ihj.2015.12.020
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 68, no. S2
pp. S140 – S145

Abstract

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Left atrial dissection is a very uncommon complication of cardiac surgery and usually causes significant hemodynamic compromise. Little is known about spontaneous dissection of the left atrium. Two patients, one middle-aged man and another elderly woman were evaluated following stroke. Routine trans-thoracic echocardiogram showed vertical division of the left atrium with both chambers communicating with each other through an orifice. Detailed trans-oesophageal echocardiographic study revealed dissection of the left atrium producing an additional false chamber (pseudo-aneurysm) placed posterior to the left atrial appendage and above the postero-lateral aspect of mitral annulus. Spontaneous dissection of the left atrium is extremely rare, and there is no report of cerebral embolism associated with it. Review of literature reveals interesting facets of this rare entity.

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