Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm late after mitral valve replacement

We report an unusual case of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm late after mitral valve replacement. A 60-year-old woman, who had undergone aortic and mitral valve replacement using mechanical prostheses 4 months previously, presented with severe congestive heart failure. The computed tomographic scan of the chest demonstrated a large mass displacing the heart anteriorly. The orifice of the pseudoaneurysm was successfully closed on the beating heart using partial femorofemoral bypass through a left thoracotomy. (C) 2002 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.