TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION OF LEFT UPPER PULMONARY VENOUS OBSTRUCTION CAUSED BY COMPRESSION BY SPONTANEOUS PSEUDOANEURYSM OF THE DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA

Pseudoaneurysm of the aorta usually occurs as a complication of nonpen etrating trauma or deceleration injuries. Spontaneous pseudoaneurysm o f the aorta is, however, extremely rare. Pulmonary veins can be affect ed in this situation because of the anatomic proximity. However, it is often overlooked during clinical examination, during routine echocard iography, and even at invasive angiography. This report describes the importance of transesophageal echocardiography in the detection of pul monary vein compression, which is not suspected during other noninvasi ve and invasive diagnostic tests, in a patient with spontaneous pseudo aneurysm of die descending thoracic aorta.