Breathlessness and new de-saturation in a patient with congenital heart disease: a time to thrombolyse or to seek specialist help?

BMJ Case Rep. 2012 May 30:2012:bcr0220125922. doi: 10.1136/bcr.02.2012.5922.

Abstract

A patient with known repaired complex congenital heart disease was referred as an emergency with increasing breathlessness on exertion. He was not short of breath at rest and had a saturation of 85% in air. A CT pulmonary angiography demonstrated decreased flow from his right ventricle to pulmonary artery, which was thought to be due to pulmonary embolism. We reviewed the CT with a knowledge and understanding of his anatomy and found that he had developed a false aneurysm of his right ventricular outflow tract, which required surgical treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aneurysm, False / complications*
  • Aneurysm, False / diagnostic imaging
  • Aneurysm, False / surgery
  • Angiography
  • Contraindications
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pulmonary Artery*
  • Thrombolytic Therapy*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vascular Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / diagnosis
  • Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / etiology*
  • Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / surgery