Subaortic pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle complicating staphylococcal endocarditis

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 54; no. 4; p. 930
• Main Authors: Saint-Martin, Pauline, Rogers, Christopher, Carpenter, Eugene, Fishbein, Michael C, Lau, Stanley, Sathyavagiswaran, Lakshmanan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2009
• Subjects: Aneurysm, False - complications; Aneurysm, False - pathology; Aortic Aneurysm - complications; Aortic Aneurysm - pathology; Aortic Rupture - complications; Aortic Rupture - pathology; Aortic Valve - abnormalities; Death, Sudden - etiology; Endocarditis, Bacterial - complications; Endocarditis, Bacterial - microbiology; Forensic Pathology; Heart Ventricles - pathology; Humans; Male; Staphylococcal Infections - complications; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1556-4029; 1556-4029
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01051.x

Subaortic pseudoaneurysms are rare but can be a cause of sudden death in young individuals. This case report involves a 20-year-old Vietnamese male who died suddenly from rupture of a subaortic pseudoaneurysm with resultant hemopericardium with tamponade. He had a history of bicuspid aortic valve with recent but healed Staphylococcal endocarditis. A review of the literature reveals few similar cases and enlightens the association between aortic bicuspid valve, endocarditis, and subvalvular aortic aneurysm. The pathogenesis as well as recent studies that identified aneurysm predisposing genes in patients with bicuspid aortic valve will be discussed.