CHRONIC FALSE ANEURYSMS OF THE LEFT-VENTRICLE - MANAGEMENT REVISITED

False aneurysms of the left ventricle are a rare complication of myoca rdial infarction. They pose a high risk of cardiac rupture and death i n the immediate stages following infarction. The long term fate of the se aneurysms is less clear. Based on early reports, the current practi ce is to resect all false aneurysms regardless of their age. Three pat ients were found to have false aneurysms several years (seven to 12) f ollowing their index infarction. Two of the patients were asymptomatic at presentation and their aneurysms were discovered by echocardiograp hy. All three patients underwent successful surgical repair. The liter ature on false aneurysms is reviewed and analyzed. With the wide avail ability of high quality noninvasive imaging there has been an increase in the reporting of unsuspected false aneurysms in the past decade. T he need for prophylactic aneurysectomy of stable asymptomatic chronic false ventricular aneurisms is not well supported by available data in the literature. A strategy of conservative management with noninvasiv e follow-up may be a more appropriate alternative.