Giant pseudoaneurysm of the mitro-aortic intervalvular fibrosa: incidental diagnosis

Thirty-three-year follow-up of pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa without surgical treatment: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (PMAIF) is a rare complication of infective endocarditis or aortic valve surgery. Surgical treatment is suggested, but the long-term follow-up of conservative management remains unclear.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 33-year follow-up of a patient who developed PMAIF six years after aortic valve replacement is reported. The patient presented to our center with dyspnea, and the echocardiography revealed an ejection fraction of 20% and a PMAIF measuring 7 × 10 mm. Despite being advised to undergo surgery, the patient declined due to fear of surgical outcomes. Consequently, conservative treatment with close observation but without surgery was initiated. During the 33-year follow-up period, the patient did not experience any adverse health effects.

CONCLUSION

Surgical intervention should be considered whenever the PMAIF is diagnosed. However, in any case that the surgery was not applicable, conservative management might lead to long-term survival, based on this and similar case reports in the literature.

Fistula of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa in a patient with bacterial endocarditis: a case report and systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

A fistulous tract in the mitro-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF) is a rare entity, which presents as a complication of endocarditis or surgical trauma. Generally, it is associated to a pseudoaneurysm of the MAIVF (p-MAIVF) or aortic abscesses. MAIVF fistulas could potentially lead to devastating complications and a high mortality rate. This condition is managed surgically, either by a percutaneous closure or an open surgical approach. Herein we report the complex case of a patient with a MAIVF fistula secondary to bacterial endocarditis. Further clinical deterioration was caused by severe aortic valve insufficiency and hemodynamic compromise, requiring surgical intervention.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 74-year-old male patient was admitted to a primary care center with complaints of malaise, asthenia, adynamia, hyporexia, and lower limb edema over the past eight days. His past medical history is positive for arterial hypertension and being monorenal. A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was performed, exhibiting a 56% left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and complicated aortic valve endocarditis. Surgical management through an open approach included vegetation resection, valve replacement, and closure of the MAIVF fistula. After completing antibiotic therapy, the patient was discharged without complications. During postoperative follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic, and the control echocardiogram showed no signs of MAIVF fistula.4.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical case of a patient with a MAIVF fistula secondary to endocarditis by Streptococcus Anginous was presented. The fistulous tract was not associated to p-MAIVF or aortic abscess, findings which further deteriorate the patient's condition and increase the likelihood of fatality. This case reinforces the importance of a prompt diagnosis through cardiac imaging and timely surgical closure of the defect.

Echocardiographic Diagnosis and Outcome of Pseudoaneurysm of the Mitral-Aortic Intervalvular Fibrosa: Results of a Single-Center Experience in Beijing

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (P-MAIVF) is a rare but potentially fatal entity. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment are particularly important to decrease risk of mortality. The purpose of this study was to explore the echocardiographic characteristics and outcome of P-MAIVF and to evaluate the potential application of three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography in the evaluation of P-MAIVF. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were retrospectively evaluated in 9 patients with P-MAIVF, 5 of them assessed by 3D echocardiography. P-MAIVF was identified on echocardiography and located in the posterior aspect of the aortic root, expanding in systole and collapsing in diastole. Of the 9 cases examined, 8 were associated with endocarditis and 1 was caused by radio frequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. Five cases were associated with bicuspid aortic valve, and rupture of P-MAIVF was identified in 3 patients. The morphology of P-MAIVF was clearly demonstrated on 3D echocardiography in 5 cases. In conclusion, echocardiography provides a useful tool in the diagnosis of P-MAIVF. Color Doppler flow imaging can ease identification of the ostium in cases of ruptured pseudoaneurysms. Three-dimensional echocardiography shows the relationship between P-MAIVF and the adjacent anatomic structures.

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa. A new comprehensive review

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (P-MAIVF) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening condition. Both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can detect P-MAIVF with sensitivity rates of 43 and 90 %, respectively. The typical finding of echocardiography is a pulsatile echo-free sac that expands in systole and collapses in diastole. Our review comprises 166 patients with P-MAIVF, including eight cases in our hospital and 158 cases from the literature. P-MAIVF is often associated with infection or surgical trauma. While it is likely to maintain an asymptomatic course, symptoms of shortness of breath, heart failure, valvular disease, chest pain, endocarditis, and cerebrovascular events are common clinical presentations. The recommended treatment is surgery. However, conservative therapy is an alternative approach for high-risk patients or when surgical treatment is refused. With the increasing incidence of cardiac surgery and infective endocarditis, a likely increment in the new diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm is expected.

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF): A comprehensive review

Pseudoaneurysm in the region of the fibrous body between the mitral and aortic valve, the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF), is a rare complication. The authors provide a comprehensive review of all relevant English-language articles published from 1966 to December 2009. Pseudoaneurysm of the MAIVF was identified in 88 patients in the medical literature and one from the authors' institution (total reported cases, 89). Endocarditis and aortic valve surgery were the most frequently associated causative factors. Symptoms and signs of infection, chest pain, heart failure or shortness of breath, and cerebrovascular accidents accounted for 77% of clinical presentations. The formation of a fistulous tract, coronary artery compression, and death were important described complications. Patients with ring abscesses in the MAIVF region and those with prosthetic aortic valves and histories of endocarditis are at higher risk for developing pseudoaneurysm of the MAIVF. Transesophageal echocardiography was able to identify all cases in which it was used. Surgical correction is the treatment of choice.

Large pseudoaneurysms of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa: long-term natural history without surgery in two patients

A pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa is a well-described complication of aortic valve endocarditis and aortic valve replacement. It may occasionally cause complications, but it may also remain uncomplicated and asymptomatic for unknown periods. Although corrective surgery is commonly recommended, the appropriate therapeutic approach to this pathology is unclear. The current report describes two patients with large pseudoaneurysms of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa, who were treated conservatively without surgery without any adverse clinical events during long-term follow-up. Therefore, conservative follow-up of this pathology with echocardiographic monitoring appears to be a valid and safe alternative for surgery, especially in patients at high risk for surgical intervention.