Prenatal rupture of a left ventricular diverticulum: a case report and review of the literature

Prenat Diagn. 2004 Jul;24(7):504-7. doi: 10.1002/pd.912.

Abstract

Congenital left ventricular diverticulum is a rare malformation. We report a case of a ruptured congenital left ventricular diverticulum in a 24-week-old fetus. The fetus was referred for a large and circumferential pericardial effusion confirmed by cross-sectional echocardiography in our tertiary fetal cardiology unit. Pericardiocentesis removed 25 mL of old hematic fluid. The fetus died 5 days later. The pathological examination showed a ruptured submitral fibrous diverticulum of the posterior wall of the left ventricle. There is no previous report in the literature of prenatal rupture of a cardiac diverticulum. The submitral location and the fibrous wall of the diverticulum is uncommon. As regards this case, we reviewed the diagnostic criteria and the outcome of 11 cases of prenatal cardiac diverticulum reported in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis
  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnostic imaging
  • Cardiomyopathies / embryology
  • Cardiomyopathies / pathology*
  • Diverticulum / diagnosis
  • Diverticulum / diagnostic imaging
  • Diverticulum / embryology
  • Diverticulum / pathology*
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Fetal Death / embryology
  • Fetal Death / etiology
  • Fetal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Fetal Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Fetal Diseases / embryology
  • Fetal Diseases / pathology*
  • Gestational Age
  • Heart Rupture / diagnosis*
  • Heart Rupture / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Rupture / embryology
  • Heart Rupture / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / embryology
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Pericardial Effusion / diagnosis
  • Pericardial Effusion / diagnostic imaging
  • Pericardial Effusion / embryology
  • Pericardial Effusion / etiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Prenatal Diagnosis
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal