Chronic haemoptysis as delayed complication of ventricular aneurysmectomy

Two patients developed a ventriculo-pulmonary fistula several years after o riginal resection of a left ventricular aneurysm. Both presented with chron ic mild haemoptysis. In the first case mild haemoptysis lasted nearly 19 mo nths, and despite a battery of non invasive and invasive investigations, di agnosis was ultimately made via exploratory thoracotomy. In the second case mild haemoptysis lasted four months and finally manifested as a large haem optysis. Diagnosis was made preoperatively using echocardiography. We recom mend the use of echocardiography when haemoptysis occurs in a patient with a previous history of ventricular aneurysm repair. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.