A Case of Slowly Progressing Aneurysm of Left Ventricle and Thoracic Aorta Due to Automobile Blunt Trauma

A five-year-old boy received a blunt trauma on chest by a kindergarten bus on Feb. 29, 1996. Pulmonary hemorrhage and pericardiac effusion were developed, followed by multi-organ failure threatening his life. All symptoms were improving when pansystolic harsh murmur (III/IV) originating from a tiny ventricular rupture with a blood leak to the pericardial space was auscultated on the 12th day after the trauma. This murmur disappeared with the left ventricular healing and progressive aneurysmatic formation. Howeve, on the 61st day after the trauma a continuous murmur (II/III) of aortic dissecting aneurysm on the left upper sternal border and dorsum was newly auscultated. Two-dimensional color doppler echocardiogram and aortogram by femoral artery catheterization revealed aneurysmatic dilatations of both the left ventricular free wall and descending aorta immediately after the origin of the subclavian artery with mild mitral regugitation. The patient underwent successful corrective surgery.

Traumatic Aneurysm Involving Left Ventricle and Descending Thoracic Aorta / 대한흉부외과학회지

Traumatic aneurysm of both the thoracic aorta and the left ventricle are extremely rare in children because it is characterized by high mortality. We report a case which we experi- enced recently with sucessful outcome. A Five-year-old boy had a blunt trauma by bongo bus. He had pulmonary hemorrage and pericardial effusion complicated by multiorgan failure threatening his life. Aneurysm of LV and Descending aorta were showed by 2-D echocardiogram and MRI. The patient underwent successful corrective surgery 2 and half momths after trauma, the postoperative status of this patient was uneventful, now he is being followed up the OPD.