Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: A rare but fatal condition

Left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysm (PA) is rarely seen and it is the result of free-wall myocardial rupture contained by overlying adherent pericardium, fibrous tissue without myocardial tissue. When it occurs, it is usually associated with myocardial infarction and is potentially prone to complications such as thromboembolic phenomenon and rupture with resultant cardiac tamponade. LV pseudoaneurysm is potentially fatal, and early detection with prompt treatment is important to prevent mortality. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate LV pseudoaneurysm from true aneurysm. It is, therefore, very important to use a combination of imaging modalities to evaluate the affected patients to confirm the diagnosis. We report the case of a fatal LV PA in a middle-aged man who had no history suggestive of prior myocardial infarction, diagnosed on two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan.