Massive Cardiomegaly due to Dilated Cardiomyopathy Causing Bronchial Obstruction in an Infant

ABSTRACT

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) remains a life threatening disease in young patients and is often difficult to differentiate from myocarditis. Early recognition and treatment of DCMP are crucial for good prognoses in this patient population. The clinical course of patients with DCMP that result in cardiogenic shock varies according to the etiology as well as patient age. The volumetric expansion of the enlarged heart can compress adjacent structures causing a number of related symptoms, especially in infants with soft cartilaginous bronchi. Therapeutic strategies for treating these issues vary according to the type of complication encountered. We report a case of severe DCMP with sudden onset of massive cardiomegaly with heart failure complicated by bronchial obstruction in an infant.