Aneurysm of the membranous septum in adult patients with perimembranous ventricular septal defect

Echocardiographic features of a giant aneurysm of membranous ventricular septum

We describe the echocardiographic features of a 22-year-old female with a giant aneurysm of membranous ventricular septum (AMVS). Both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated significant dilatation of the aortic annulus and severe aortic regurgitation. A giant aneurysm was detected extending from a large membranous ventricular septal defect (MVSD) to the anterior surface of the aortic root. Contrast-enhanced CT and three-dimensional CT revealed a giant aneurysm located below the aortic root and connected to the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). The diagnosis was confirmed by surgery and postoperative pathological examination.

Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction by an Aneurysm of the Ventricular Membranous Septum: A Systematic Review of Case Reports

We performed a literature search to identify the details of patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction caused by an aneurysm of the ventricular membranous septum in a perimembranous ventricular septal defect. Thirty-one cases with a median age of 29 years (range, 1-69 years) were studied. A right ventricle-pulmonary artery systolic pressure gradient ranged from 35 to 107 mm Hg (mean 69 mm Hg). An interventricular shunt was absent in eight patients: two children and six adults. It is necessary to monitor the size of an aneurysm of the ventricular membranous septum, whether or not an interventricular shunt is present.

A case presentation of acquired membranous ventricular septum aneurysm as a rare delayed complication of ventricular septal defect repair surgery: 10-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

Rare as membranous ventricular septal aneurysms (MVSA) is, the possibility that occurs after ventricular septum defect (VSD) repair surgery is even more uncommon.

PRESENTATION

A girl developed a MVSA 3 years after the VSD repair surgery at the age of 1 and increasing growth was noted during the follow-up. Aneurysm plication was carried done when she was 11 years old because it was observed to have a close relationship to the right coronary and obstructed the right ventricular outflow tract. Postoperative echocardiography follow-up revealed no abnormalities.

CONCLUSION

Though the prognosis of most patients with VSD repaired surgery was good, there remains varieties type of complications despite surgical advances. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of acute and delayed complications is essential to improve prognosis. In this case, the aneurysm was diagnosed by multiple imaging modalities and the girl underwent successful surgery again which provides direction for awareness and knowledge of delayed complications of VSD repair.

Incidental echocardiographic finding of a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm in an 18-year-old asymptomatic athlete

Membranous ventricular septal aneurysm (VSA) is an uncommon cardiac abnormality, potentially leading to several cardiac complications such as aortic valve prolapse, arrhythmias, and aneurysm rupture. A young competitive soccer player presented for a post-COVID sports cardiology assessment, denying any previous cardiological evaluations. On transthoracic echocardiography, a membranous VSA was incidentally found with no other cardiac abnormality nor hemodynamic impairment associated. A well-oriented anamnesis guided by echocardiographic findings revealed that a ventricular septal defect was diagnosed at birth with spontaneous closure at 4 years old. From that moment, no further follow-up was performed. Before granting cardiological approval to competitive sport, transesophageal echocardiography and Holter electrocardiogram were performed to confirm the absence of interventricular shunt and any other cardiac abnormality or arrhythmias associated with VSA. This case highlights the value of an accurate and comprehensive clinical and echocardiographic evaluation when performing a cardiological sports assessment, even in a young asymptomatic athlete.

Interventricular membranous septal aneurysm is seen on multidetector computed tomography in postoperative child

BACKGROUND

Ruptured interventricular septal aneurysms are rare. We present a case of an interventricular membranous septal aneurysm in a 7-year-old boy who presented with features of congestive heart failure, 2 years after undergoing a patch closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect and tricuspid valve repair. Material and methods and results: Transthoracic echocardiography suggested the presence of an aneurysm that has ruptured into the right ventricle (RV), however, the precise origin of the aneurysm could not be identified on echocardiography. Subsequently, a computed tomography (CT) angiography was done which revealed that the aneurysm was originating from the membranous interventricular septum with evidence of rupture into the RV inflow.

DISCUSSION

Due to its close proximity to the aortic annulus, an aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum may be confused with a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, especially if the former is associated with aortic regurgitation.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the importance of CT in the precise differentiation of these two abnormalities.

Isolated Ventricular Septal Aneurysm: A Differential Diagnosis for a Right Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm

BACKGROUND A ventricular septal aneurysm (VSA) is rare and almost always an incidental finding on cardiac imaging. It is rarely an isolated phenomenon and is more commonly associated with other forms of congenital heart disease such a ventricular septal defect (VSD). Differentiating a ventricular septal aneurysm from an aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva is crucial as the latter usually has a more aggressive course and may require surgical intervention. Cardiac computed tomography (cardiac CT) or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) may help confirm the diagnosis. CASE REPORT We report a case of a 42-year-old obese Japanese man with a past medical history of hyperlipidemia who described occasional effort-related palpitations when climbing stairs over the past few months but no anginal symptoms. Echocardiogram revealed normal left ventricular systolic with a presumed right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm measuring around 1.5 cm. A coronary CTA was obtained to further delineate the aneurysm and revealed normal CT angiographic appearance of a right dominant coronary artery circulation with a small aneurysmal outpouching of the membranous ventricular septum measuring 13×17 mm without any evidence of shunting, along with focal calcification of the medial aspect of the tricuspid annulus. The right sinus of Valsalva appeared normal on coronary CTA. CONCLUSIONS Membranous ventricular septal aneurysm is a rare condition that is almost always an incidental finding on echocardiography and can be mistaken for an aneurysm of the right sinus of Valsalva. Multimodality imaging and high degree of clinical suspicion are needed to accurately diagnose a ventricular septal aneurysm and to achieve favorable outcomes. A VSA usually has a benign course and is rarely a cause of arrythmia, right ventricular outflow obstruction, or valvular insufficiency.

Aneurysmal and obstructive lesions of the left ventricular outflow: evaluation on multidetector computed tomography angiography

The left ventricular outflow is an anatomically complex region situated between the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve and the left ventricular aspect of the muscular and membranous interventricular septum. It gives rise to the aorta, provides support to the aortic valvular cusps, and houses important components of the conduction system. The left ventricular outflow handles high pressures and pressure variations and is subsequently affected by a variety of aetio-pathological conditions. Diseases involving the left ventricular outflow can be intraluminal, mural, or extramural, and the consequent complications of the lesions can be local, loco-regional, or even systemic. Appropriate evaluation requires comprehensive multimodality imaging with each modality contributing to assessment of different aspects of diagnosis, lesion characterization, local extension, prognostication for systemic complications and mortality, and the decision for the approach and type of intervention and aggressive follow-up in case non-interventional management is decided. In this review, we briefly describe the relevant anatomy and the gamut of structural abnormalities pertaining to the left ventricular outflow on multidetector computed tomography angiography.

Spontaneous Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects: A Janus-Faced Condition

•Large perimembranous VSDs can occasionally close spontaneously by a septal aneurysm. •Complications of aneurysmatic VSD closure include RVOT obstruction. •The use of multimodal imaging allows accurate diagnosis of RVOT obstruction. •RVOT obstruction due to septal aneurysm is preferably treated by surgical excision. •Patients with aneurysmatic closure of perimembranous VSD need life-long observation.

Aortocavitary fistula secondary to vegetative endocarditis in a rabbit

A 4-year-old intact male mini lop rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was presented with a 2-week history of severe progressive lethargy. A right parasternal continuous heart murmur and an irregular rhythm were detected on physical examination. Echocardiography identified vegetative aortic and tricuspid valve (TV) endocarditis. There was an aortocavitary fistula between the right sinus of Valsalva into the right ventricle, creating a left-to-right intracardiac shunt. Based on the echocardiographic findings, it was suspected that the infection originated in the aortic valve, eroded through the periannular tissue, and secondarily infected the TV. Pleural and peritoneal effusion secondary to right-sided congestive heart failure was also found during the echocardiogram. Atrial fibrillation, conducted with a left bundle branch block morphology, was identified using electrocardiography. Necropsy findings directly correlated with the echocardiographic diagnosis; marked periodontal disease was also identified. Aerobic culture of the aortic and tricuspid vegetations resulted in significant growth of Haemophilus parainfluenzae. Haemophilus spp. belong to a group of similar gram-negative coccobacillus bacteria (HACEK group), which can act as an uncommon cause of endocarditis in humans. HACEK endocarditis is most commonly associated with oral infection and/or dental procedures in people. This is the first case report of a rabbit with periannular complications of infective endocarditis. It remains unknown whether dental disease resulted in endocarditis in this patient.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in membranous interventricular septum aneurysm with left ventricular outflow tract extension

We report a challenging case of a 81-year-old male with history of severe calcific aortic valve stenosis and aneurysmal membranous interventricular septum. The presence of anomalies in the sub-annular area can lead to valve malpositioning and its consequences. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVR) in patients with aneurysm of the perimembranous interventricular septum extending into the left ventricular outflow tract has not been previously reported. This case describes a successful transfemoral TAVR with an Edwards SAPIEN XT valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, United States) with such anomaly.

A single-center experience with 12 consecutive cases of pregnancy among patients with membranous ventricular septal aneurysm

BACKGROUND

Membranous ventricular septal aneurysm (MVSA) is a rare cardiac anomaly that can occur as an isolated entity or being associated with other cardiac malformations. Complications of MVSA include thromboembolism, arrhythmia, rupture, bacterial endocarditis, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and atrioventricular valve diseases.The success rate of pregnancy and delivery in patients with MVSA has not been reported in the literature. This study was to assess the clinical implications of this condition from our center's experience.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study for consecutive 12 pregnancies in women with MVSA, who delivered at a tertiary care center in west China between May 2008 and March 2015.

RESULTS

All patients with MVSA delivered via caesarian section. One patient with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension expired from pulmonary infection and heart failure after delivery. One patient terminated pregnancy in the second trimester- necessitated by cardiogenic shock. The other mothers had varying degrees of cardiac morbidity, but survived. Ten of thirteen newborns survived. Congenital heart disease and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) of newborn occurred in two cases (one twin and one single gestation). Two of these babies expired.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal and neonatal risk appeared associated with heart functional classifications, pulmonary hypertension and histories of cardiac events such as serious cardiac arrhythmia. Accurate diagnosis and care by a multidisciplinary team is recommended for pregnant woman with MVSA.

A Membranous Septal Aneurysm Causing Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction in an Adult

We describe a case of a 69-year-old female referred for the evaluation of exertional dyspnea, with a small membranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) and right ventricle (RV) outflow tract obstruction. Using transthoracic echo was diagnosed VSD with left to right shunting and transesophageal echo (TEE) was used to a better anatomical characterization. TEE showed a perimembranous subaortic VSD that developed a high-velocity flow in RV. Pulmonary valve appears normal and right ventricular infundibular hypertrophy or double-chambered RV was excluded from the study. Furthermore, TEE showed a malaligned VSD and the presence of perimembranous mobile tissue protruding in RV. We hypothesized that this tissue can be attributed to broken septum aneurysm and protruding during systole, it causes a dynamic RV output tract obstruction.

Membranous ventricular septal aneurysm in a black-tailed prairie dog ( Cynomys ludovicianus)

Ventricular septal defects are one of the most common congenital cardiac malformations in animals, and most often affect the membranous portion of the septum. These defects may rarely close spontaneously. An adult male black-tailed prairie dog ( Cynomys ludovicianus) had a smooth shiny botryoid red mass arising from the area of the septal cusp of the right atrioventricular (tricuspid) valve and membranous interventricular septum, and bulging into the right ventricular lumen. Histology and special staining demonstrated a membranous ventricular septal defect closed by the adherence of the septal cusp of the tricuspid valve to the muscular septum (so-called membranous ventricular septal aneurysm or aneurysm of the [peri]membranous ventricular septum). This is a rare finding in animals, and the histologic appearance has not been documented previously, to our knowledge.

Isolated Aneurysms of the Membranous Ventricular Septum Without Residual Shunts: Systematic Review and Description of 3 Cases in Adults

A ventricular septal defect is the most common congenital cardiac abnormality encountered in infants and children. Many of them survive through adulthood before diagnosis. Two-thirds of the cases involve the membranous part of the septum. In the absence of an interventricular shunt or concomitant cardiac surgery, guidelines for surgical intervention or resection of isolated aneurysms of the membranous septum are not well established. In this report, we discuss a multi-imaging modality approach for the diagnosis and assessment of membranous ventricular septal aneurysms and review the experts' consensuses for follow-up and treatment strategies.

Interventricular Membranous Septal Aneurysm Incidentally Diagnosed During Computed Tomographic Angiography in a Patient with Infrequent Supraventricular Tachycardia

Interventricular membranous septal (IVMS) aneurysm is a rare condition with no accurate incidence. It is known to be associated with 0.3 % of congenital heart disease and 19 % of ventricular septal defects. IVMS aneurysm is often asymptomatic but can be complicated with right ventricular obstruction, rupture, thromboembolism, and conduction defects. Clinicians and radiologist should be aware about this rare clinical entity and evaluation of any possible underlying cardiac abnormalities should be performed. Conservative management with close follow up is the mainstay of management in the absence of complication.

Interventricular membranous septal aneurysm: CT and MR manifestations

Advanced cardiac imaging is a valuable method to investigate cardiac malformations. The detection of the interventricular membranous septum has clinical significance due to thrombogenic and arrythmogenic predisposition, as well as a role in obstructing the pulmonary flow. This review describes six clinical presentations in which advanced cardiac imaging has been the tool for evaluation, with special emphasis in CT angiography and cardiac MRI sequences.

Teaching Points

• The interventricular membranous septum can predispose patients to thrombogenic and arrythmogenic events.

• Subpulmonic stenosis relates to the protrusion of the aneurysm into the right ventricle

• During surgery, ventricular pressures of the opened heart become balanced, making the aneurysm less evident.

Percutaneous Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect with Modified Double-disk Occluder: What Is the Outcome at 10-year Follow-up?

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect is one of the greatest challenges in interventional cardiology. The long-term follow-up data are still limited. This report presents our experience in percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect with modified double-disk occluder.

DESIGN

The study is a retrospective analysis of cases from the Changhai Hospital clinic database.

SETTING

We reviewed the clinic database from December 2001 to December 2005.

PATIENTS

We included 117 patients who underwent percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Procedural data and complications were assessed by an expert panel of cardiologists.

RESULTS

Device implantation was successfully accomplished in 113 of a total 117 patients (96.6%). The mean age was 31.1 ± 12.5 years (range 2-56 years). The patients were followed for a period of 86-134 months. The diameter of defect was 2-15 mm (mean 4.9 ± 2.9 mm). The ventricular septal defect rim below the aortic valve was 1-5 mm. The mean diameter of device used was 6.9 ± 3.7 (range 4-24 mm). Four patients presented complete atrio-ventricular block within 1 week after the procedure and recovered within 3 weeks. No other patient encountered serious adverse events during the follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defect is safe and effective in most selected patients with modified double-disk occluder. Additional studies with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are needed to evaluate its safety.

Clinical significance of incidentally detected aneurysms of the membranous ventricular septum in adults by multidetector computed tomography

Although the clinical relevance of aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum (AMVS) in adults is unclear, the frequency of AMVS detection has been increased because cardiac multidetector computed tomography has been widely adopted for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Therefore, we aimed to assess the clinical significance of AMVS in a longitudinal study. In 30,120 adults with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent cardiac multidetector computed tomography in 3 hospitals, 52 patients with AMVS were retrospectively selected. We evaluated the clinical symptoms and electrocardiographic abnormalities (cross-sectional study) and the prevalence of embolic stroke (observational study) during a median 40-month (range 6 to 74 months) observation period. For the assessment of embolic stroke, we excluded 9 patients with other explainable embolic sources. Conduction abnormalities were noted in 13 of 52 adults (25%) with AMVS on electrocardiography and embolic stroke occurred in 6 of 43 patients (14%). The mean age and the prevalence of hypertension were significantly higher in the embolic stroke group than in the event-free group (p <0.05). Thrombi were detected in the 11.6% of AMVS, which was significantly related with embolic stroke (p <0.05). The size and morphology did not change in 15 patients with serial follow-up images. In conclusion, our study suggests that AMVS in adults should not be ignored because AMVS may be related to conduction abnormality or embolic stroke, and it does not spontaneously resolve or diminish in size.

An incidentally detected giant membranous interventricular septal aneurysm secondary to previous surgery for subaortic valvular stenosis

Ventricular septal aneurysms are rare clinical entities and their certain prevalence and clinical significance are not well known. Most of them are thought to develop during or after the closure process of the accompanying ventricular septal defects. Although a majority of the patients are typically asymptomatic, the potential risks should also be kept in mind. We present a case of a membranous interventricular septal aneurysm that developed after surgery for subaortic valvular stenosis. The points that make our case worth reporting are development of the aneurysm after aortic surgery and lack of a concomitant ventricular septal defect. On the basis of the existence of an aortic valve surgery history and reports that do not mention any ventricular septal defect and ventricular septal aneurysm when she was operated, we suggest that the aneurysmatic formation in the membranous portion of the interventricular septum developed due to valve surgery in the postoperative wound healing period.

Magnetic resonance imaging of AMS (Aneurysm of the Membranous Septum), review of the literature and case report

Aneurysm of the Membranous Septum (AMS) is a rare cardiac disease, mostly associated with other cardiac anomalies, very rare in the absence of other congenital heart defects. A prompt diagnosis is important, due to severe potential complications, but remain challenging. Most of the cases were earlier diagnosed using ventriculography, but, with the availability of echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), this disease can be accurately assessed non-invasively. We report a case of a 62 years old female patient, without other cardiac congenital disease, who was incidentally diagnosed, by means of CMR with a true and isolated AMS. Our report underlines CMR usefulness in AMS diagnosis, thanks to accurate evaluation (both morphologic and functional) provided by this diagnostic tool, which is able to demonstrate clearly the presence of AMS (aneurysm of the membranous septum) and depict its features.

A case of late-onset sustained ventricular tachycardia following deployment of Amplatzer-type perimembranous VSD occluder

Transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) has been widely used worldwide. Despite high success rate and minimal operative mortality, arrhythmia during and post-operation has been frequently observed. However, sustained ventricular tachycardia following deployment of occluder has not been reported. In this present case, we present one rare case of late-onset sustained ventricular tachycardia, which developed 71 hr after deployment of an Amplatzer-type occluder for perimembranous VSD (PmVSD) in a 3-year and 5-month-old boy. The sustained ventricular tachycardia was successfully corrected with the administration of lidocaine, amiodarone, and dexamethasone. The reoccurrence of ventricular tachycardia was not observed in the most recent follow-up at 6 month. In summary, the current case indicated that sustained ventricular tachycardia could occur following deployment of Amplatzer-type occluder for PmVSD, which could be corrected with antiarrhythmic drugs.

The natural history of ventricular septal defects in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia

AIM

To determine the natural history and spontaneous closure (SpC) of ventricular septal defect (VSD) in a cohort of patients.

METHODS

Using echocardiography, 86 patients with VSD were followed up for 1-168 mths (mean 66.3, SD 46.0).

RESULTS

Mean age at diagnosis was 14 mths, 26 patients were diagnosed at < or = 1 mth (group 1) and 60 later (group 2). Types of VSD were: peri-membranous (PM-VSD) 67.4%, muscular (MU-VSD) 19.8%, inlet 7% and subpulmonary/subarterial 5.8%. SpC occurred in 16.3% of the whole group, 34.6% of group 1 and 8.3% of group 2 (p = 0.002). SpC occurred only in PM-VSDs (19%) and in MU-VSDs (17.6%). It occurred in 26.5% of the small VSDs and in none of the large VSDs. One patient (1.2%) developed endocarditis and another pulmonary vascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

PM-VSD was the most common type of VSD. SpC is age-dependent, occurring mainly in PM and MU-VSDs. SpC of a large VSD is unusual.

Massive interventricular septal aneurysm and stroke in a healthy young patient: guilt by association?

Aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum is an uncommon cardiac defect that is, on rare occasions, associated with embolic stroke. We describe here the case of an otherwise healthy, 41-year-old man who presented to the hospital with acute-onset confusion and left-sided body weakness attributed to a right middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke. He experienced a nearly complete resolution of deficits following systemic thrombolytic therapy. After an extensive workup, the presumed mechanism of stroke was a thromboembolus that originated in a massive aneurysm of the patient's membranous interventricular septum. Due to a perceived risk of surgical morbidity, the patient was managed conservatively with anticoagulation. He denied further events and reported nearly full function at follow-up.

A ventricular septal defect with a giant appendiform aneurysm of the membranous septum

We report a case of a 39-year-old female with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) and a giant appendiform aneurysm of the membranous septum, illustrated by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. From the literature a short review of the prevalence of spontaneous closure of VSDs together with the possible complications of persisting VSDs is presented. Since patients stay at risk in later years, follow-up at regular intervals is advised.

Postimplant complications with transcatheter closure of congenital perimembranous ventricular septal defects: a single-center, longitudinal study from 2002 to 2011

BACKGROUND

Whether or not to close perimembranous VSDs (pmVSDs) by transcatheter techniques is controversial because of a high rate of complications as compared with surgical alternatives.

OBJECTIVE

We report the short- and long-term follow-up results of the use of several kinds of devices to close pmVSDs and the annual incidence of postimplant complications in our center.

METHODS

From June 2002 to June 2011, 232 patients with pmVSD underwent attempted transcatheter closure; closure was successful in 209 cases (90.1%). Six types of occlusive devices were used. Patient age, defect size, device type, device size and its relation to defect size, and transcatheter and fluoroscopy time were analyzed for correlation with annual incidence of postimplant complications.

RESULTS

There were no deaths during the follow-up period. Within 1 month after transcatheter closure, we found 91 adverse events (43.5%), but only 32 cases showed a trace amount of residual shunting. From 2002 to 2011, the annual incidence of postimplant complications gradually decreased, from 50% in 2002 to 17.6% in 2011. The use of Amplatzer occluder devices (r = 0.71, P = 0.033), double-disc symmetrical occluder devices (r = -0.68, P = 0.045), and transcatheter (r = 0.87, P = 0.003), and fluoroscopy time (r = 0.78, P = 0.02) were significantly correlated with the incidence of post-implant complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of transcatheter closure of pmVSD in terms of postimplant complications are encouraging in our center. It seemed that eccentric Amplatzer and domestic occluder may be at rather higher risk for postimplant complications. The incidence of postimplant complications may be minimized by skilled maneuvers, excluding rather small patients, and selecting the appropriate kind of occlusive device.

Adult presentation with a bilobed membranous ventricular septal aneurysm

Membranous ventricular septum aneurysm (MVSA) is an uncommon cardiac abnormality primarily associated with the spontaneous closure of a small membranous ventricular septal defect in childhood. Diagnosis of an idiopathic MVSA in an adult is exceedingly rare. We report on a man, aged 38 years, with a bilobed MVSA diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography and gated computed tomography, with separate aneurysm sacs extending into the right atrium and right ventricle.

Incidental discovery of a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm in two dissimilar patients

A ventricular septal aneurysm (VSA) is a rare cardiac anomaly, and an accurate statistic of its prevalence has not been reported in the literature. True incidence is likely underestimated as most patients are thought to be asymptomatic. As a result, most VSAs are discovered incidentally on echocardiography, during angiography, or at autopsy. Potential complications include rupture, bacterial endocarditis, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and thromboembolic disease. It has been proposed that VSAs occur in association with ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and other congenital cardiac abnormalities. It is uncommon for a VSA to exist in the absence of a known prior ventricular septal defect. We present two cases, each highlighting an incidental intact aneurysm involving the membranous interventricular septum. We discuss the contrast in the two patients with regard to their age, accompanying cardiac anomalies and cardiovascular fitness. Clinical implications of the condition are reviewed.

Congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities in adults detected by gated cardiac multidetector computed tomography: clefts, aneurysms, diverticula and terminology problems

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to evaluate congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities (clefts, aneurysms and diverticula), describe and illustrate imaging features, discuss terminology problems and determine their prevalence detected by cardiac CT in a single center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Coronary CT angiography images of 2093 adult patients were evaluated retrospectively in order to determine congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities.

RESULTS

The incidence of left ventricular clefts (LVC) was 6.7% (141 patients) and statistically significant difference was not detected between the sexes regarding LVC (P=0.5). LVCs were single in 65.2% and multiple in 34.8% of patients. They were located at the basal to mid inferoseptal segment of the left ventricle in 55.4%, the basal to mid anteroseptal segment in 24.1%, basal to mid inferior segment in 17% and septal-apical septal segment in 3.5% of cases. The cleft length ranged from 5 to 22 mm (mean 10.5 mm) and they had a narrow connection with the left ventricle (mean 2.5 mm). They were contractile with the left ventricle and obliterated during systole. Congenital left ventricular septal aneurysm that was located just under the aortic valve was detected in two patients (0.1%). No case of congenital left ventricular diverticulum was detected.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac CT allows us to recognize congenital left ventricular wall abnormalities which have been previously overlooked in adults. LVC is a congenital structural variant of the myocardium, is seen more frequently than previously reported and should be differentiated from aneurysm and diverticulum for possible catastrophic complications of the latter two.

Natural internal banding in adult patients with a large ventricular septal defect and a preserved pulmonary vascular system

OBJECTIVE

Hypertrophied anomalous muscle bands (AMBs) in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) may develop in the context of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and limit persistent pulmonary overflow. In adult patients with a large VSD, persistent AMBs in the RVOT therefore can simulate the role of an externally placed pulmonary artery band. We termed such alterations natural internal bands (NIBs). Our goal was to establish the morphologic nature of the obstructive muscular lesions of the RVOT in patients with a large VSD.

METHODS

Patients who underwent operations for a large VSD in our center, which has a high volume of adult patients with congenital defects, were retrospectively reviewed, and the nature of the NIBs in these patients was documented. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac catheterization evaluations preoperatively and at postoperative month 3. Histopathologic examination of the AMBs was performed.

RESULTS

Of 96 adult patients who underwent operations for a large isolated VSD (mean defect size, 16.9 ± 3.5 mm), 16 patients had a hemodynamically significant NIB. Two different patterns of obstruction were found. Ten of the 16 patients revealed an os infundibulum morphology, and 6 patients revealed systolic bulging of the conal septum. Four of the patients with os infundibulum also had classic tetralogy-type septal malalignment. The mean peak systolic gradient on the RVOT was 56.5 ± 17.2 mm Hg and 53.6 ± 12.3 mm Hg in the patients with os infundibulum and in the patients with systolic bulging of the conal septum, respectively. Surgical repair of the VSD was completed successfully in all patients. Resection of the os infundibulum was performed concomitantly in patients with os infundibulum. At the third postoperative month, the mean peak systolic gradient was 16.8 ± 3.5 mm Hg in patients with os infundibulum and 26 ± 5.9 mm Hg (range, 20-35 mm Hg) in patients with systolic septal bulging.

CONCLUSIONS

Some mechanisms in adult type VSDs are essential for protecting the pulmonary vasculature. We tried to review these protective mechanisms: hypertrophied AMBs and NIBs.

Unusual hemodynamic changes in an infant with a restrictive ventricular septal defect

A 7-month-old asymptomatic infant was known to have a restrictive membranous ventricular septal defect partially closed by an aneurysm of the membranous septum. At 13 months of age, he developed unexpected pulmonary hypertension, with no clinical sign of cardiac failure. Cardiac catheterization assessed the pulmonary artery pressure at a systemic level with significant left-to-right shunt. After surgical closure, the pulmonary arterial pressure decreased by 50%. We suspect an enlargement of the ventricular septal defect caused by the rupture of the aneurysm of the membranous septum-a rare complication.

Aortic endocarditis associated with a perforated septal membranous aneurysm in a boxer dog

Perimembranous ventricular septal defect is a common congenital heart disease in the dog. It can partially or completely close with age by development of a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm. Aortic endocarditis is a reported complication of ventricular septal defect and membranous ventricular septal aneurysm in human beings. This report describes a case of aortic endocarditis associated with a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm perforated by a small ventricular septal defect in a boxer dog.

Pseudoaneurysm of the membranous septum, case report and review of the literature

Pseudoaneurysm (dissecting aneurysm) of the membranous septum is a rare occasion. Clinically, aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms not only have the potential to reduce ventricular size, but also can be further complicated by rupture of the aneurysm and by promoting tricuspid insufficiency, aortic valve prolapse, ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and bacterial endocarditis. We describe a case in which a pseudoaneurysm of the membranous septum was identified protruding into the left outflow tract.

Prenatal diagnosis of membranous ventricular septal aneurysms and their association with absence of atrioventricular valve 'offsetting'

Congenital aneurysm of the membranous portion of the ventricular septum in association with absence of atrioventricular valve 'offsetting' was diagnosed in two fetuses at 29 and 34 weeks. In the first case the fetus had a normal karyotype and no other structural heart defects, whereas in the second case there was a partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5 and an absent pulmonary valve syndrome. The association of absence of 'offsetting' with aneurysms of the membranous ventricular septum may represent spontaneous closure of ventricular septal defects initially extended to the inlet.

Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiographic Delineation of Ventricular Septal Aneurysm Producing Right Ventricular Outflow Obstruction in an Adult

We report three-dimensional echocardiographic delineation of a congenital aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum causing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in an adult patient. To our knowledge, these findings have not been described before.

Ventricular septal defect and multiple aneurysms

A 41-year-old man with a small perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) developed aneurysms and aortic elongation, tortuosity and dissecting aneurysm. The asymptomatic VSD, without pulmonary circulatory disturbance, was considered hemodynamically benign and too small to warrant surgical closure. However, prolonged strenuous sporting activities could have potentiated premature development of aortic sclerosis and the unusual vascular lesions secondary to the VSD, and an injury may have precipitated mural dissection in the vulnerable aortic wall. Clinicopathological analysis of the unusual complications associated with the VSD suggests that closure of the defect at an early age should be considered to possibly obviate premature degenerative, valvular and vascular changes in adulthood and also secondary endocardial infection.