Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: an inadvertent consequence of COVID-19-a case report

Background: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVP) is an uncommon but serious mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The immediate medical complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are well recognized, but its indirect effect on patients and healthcare systems is potentially less perceivable.

Case summary: In this report, a 72-year-old man who was anxious about attending hospital during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was eventually found to have a total right coronary artery occlusion after a delayed emergency department presentation. He ultimately developed severe symptomatic heart failure and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) revealed that a large LVP with concomitant severe ischaemic mitral regurgitation had evolved from his infarct. The patient was successfully discharged home after the surgical replacement of his mitral valve and repair of his LVP.

Discussion: This case highlights a salient downstream effect of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): the delay in presentation, diagnosis, and management of common treatable conditions such as AMI. It also underscores the importance of non-invasive multimodal imaging on the timely identification of the mechanical complications of AMI. In particular, CMR can play a crucial role in the characterization and management of LVP.