Symptomatic idiopathic pulmonary artery aneurysm: a case report and a mini-review of the literature.

Abstract

Pulmonary artery aneurysms (PAAs) are rare, more prevalent in younger population with equal sex incidence. Congenital, idiopathic, autoimmune, infectious, inflammatory, and malignant etiologies have been linked to PAAs. Commonly, patients with PAA are asymptomatic, even those with large PAAs. Presenting symptoms, if any, are non-specific. The management should target the underlying conditions and serial imaging follow-up. Signs and symptoms of disease progression should prompt a change in treatment strategy. Though there is no consensus, those who are symptomatic with a PAA diameter > 5 cm generally should undergo surgical repair. More recently, endovascular interventions are available for certain PAAs. We present a 78-year-old female who was referred to the cardiology clinic for cough and dyspnea. Using computed tomography (CTA) of the chest, she was diagnosed with aneurysm of the main pulmonary artery (PA), without involvement of distal pulmonary arteries or thoracic aorta. She underwent repair of the pulmonary artery using a 34-mm tubular graft with a complete resolution of her symptoms.