• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.448-454
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• 1980

The juxtaposition of atrial appendage may possibly be diagnosed by angiography recently, and it is widely regarded as an ominous sign of severe cyanotic congenital heart disease. However, it is apparently rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which the atrial appendages lie side by side, both to the left or right of the great arteries, known as left or right juxtaposition of the atrial appendages. Juxtaposition of the atrial appendages has no functional significance, since it does not, itself, cause any hemodynamic disturbance. But it`s presence always indicates the coexistence of other major cardiac anomalies. In review of literatures TGA and VSD are invariable present, and ASD is common. Other anomalies, such as, tricuspid atresia, pulmonary outflow that, obstruction bicuspid pulmonic valve, persistent SVC etc. are relatively high incidence. In this report, we present one case of 6 year old female child having left juxtaposition of atrial appendage combined with TGA [D-looping, D-transposition], TAPVD, large ASD, small VSD, and vertical vein.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.429-431
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• 2015

Congenital pericardial defects (CPDs) are infrequent anomalies that are usually asymptomatic and are discovered incidentally during unrelated interventions. Here we report the case of a CPD with herniation of an enlarged left atrial appendage identified during total thoracoscopic ablation (TTA) for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The persistent AF was successfully treated with a hybrid procedure, in which TTA was followed by an electrophysiological study.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.132-135
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• 2016

We report the case of a 43-year-old male with both giant left atrial appendage (LAA) aneurysm and drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). The patient was treated with percutaneous electrical isolation of cardiac arrhythmogenic substrate, and has been free of AF symptom over one year. Although the surgical resection of giant LAA aneurysm is mostly used to prevent systemic thromboembolism, we have performed follow-up of the giant LAA aneurysm using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) after the successful catheter ablation of refractory AF. At one-year follow-up CMR, the giant LAA aneurysm showed remarkable enlargement as well as decreased contractility. Additionally, one-year follow-up TEE showed spontaneous echo contrast as an indicator of blood stasis in the giant LAA aneurysm. Those findings of giant LAA aneurysm suggest that the risk of thromboembolism may be high despite termination of AF.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2021

Objective: To assess the effect of left atrial appendage (LAA) isolation on LAA emptying and left atrial (LA) function using cardiac MRI in patients who underwent successful catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 84 patients (mean age, 59 ± 10 years; 67 males) who underwent cardiac MRI after successful catheter ablation of AF. According to the electrical activity of LAA after catheter ablation, patients showed either LAA isolation or LAA normal activity. The LAA emptying phase (LAA-EP, in the systolic phase [SP] or diastolic phase), LAA emptying flux (LAA-EF, mL/s), and LA ejection fraction (LAEF, %) were evaluated by cardiac MRI. Results: Of the 84 patients, 61 (73%) and 23 (27%) patients showed LAA normal activity and LAA isolation, respectively. Incidence of LAA emptying in SP was significantly higher in LAA isolation (91% vs. 0%, p < 0.001) than in LAA normal activation. LAA-EF was significantly lower in LAA isolation (40.1 ± 16.2 mL/s vs. 80.2 ± 25.1 mL/s, p < 0.001) than in LAA normal activity. Furthermore, LAEF was significantly lower in LAA isolation (23.7% ± 11.2% vs. 31.1% ± 16.6%, p = 0.04) than in LAA normal activity. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the LAA-EP was independent from LAEF (p = 0.01). Conclusion: LAA emptying in SP may be a critical characteristic of LAA isolation, and it may adversely affect the LAEF after catheter ablation of AF.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.146-148
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• 2018

Left atrial appendage (LAA) aneurysm is a rare, pathologic condition that may lead to atrial tachyarrhythmia or thromboembolic events. A 49-year-old man presented with aggravated palpitation and dizziness. He suffered from refractory atrial fibrillation despite a previous history of radiofrequency catheter ablation. Echocardiography revealed a 57-mm LAA aneurysm. Surgical ablation was performed through a right mini-thoracotomy, and the LAA aneurysm was obliterated with a 50-mm AtriClip (Atricure Inc., Westchester, OH, USA). However, follow-up computed tomography showed residual communication, so the patient is still taking warfarin. We report that a minimally invasive strategy for treating LAA aneurysm can be considered, but incomplete closure may occur; thus, caution is needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.827-830
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• 1999

Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm is a very rare congenital cardiac abnormality. That is postulated to arise from a developmental weakness in the atrial wall in utero. Clinically, patients are often asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally, but supraventricular arrhythmias and systemic thromboembolism have also been reported in some cases. Surgical resection at the time of diagnosis is recommended because of the propensity for thromboembolic complications. A 13-month-old female, who was suspected preoperatively as having partial absence of pericardium with left atrial herniation through the defect, underwent surgical resection of the left atrial appendage aneurysm. Exposure through a median sternotomy showed an intact pericardium. The postoperative course was uneventful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.244-247
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• 2009

A left atrial appendage aneurysm is a very rare medical condition which can develop by an inflammatory reaction or a degenerative change. If there is no accompanying anomaly, a left atrial appendage is considered a congenital disease. The majority of left atrial appendage aneurysms are detected incidentally because they usually do not cause any symptoms. Surgery is indicated, even for asymptomatic patients, because of the risk of life-threatening complications, such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, systemic embolization, and cardiac arrest. Left atrial appendage aneurysms are usually treated by a median sternotomy with extracorporeal circulation, especially if the aneurysm has a broad base or contains a thrombus, but can treated by thoracotomy without extracorporeal circulation. We report a case of a successfully treated left atrial appendage aneurysm that was misdiagnosed as a partial pericardial defect without extracorporeal circulation in a 13-year old child.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.6
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• pp.1400-1405
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• 2022

Left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare heart anomaly caused by congenital dysplasia of the pectinate muscle or by an acquired pathological condition of the mitral valve or cardiac muscle. It is often incidentally discovered during chest CT or echocardiography as an abnormal dilatation of the LAA. LAAA is associated with life-threatening complications and most patients require surgical treatment. Therefore, it is important to evaluate associated complications as well as precise diagnoses. This report presents the case of a surgically confirmed LAAA in a 53-year-old female. We also discuss the pathophysiology of LAAA and significant findings related to mortality that can be detected on CT and MRI.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1280-1287
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• 1990

A seven month old female infant with isolated ventricular inversion and anatomically corrected malposition of the great arteries in situs solitus, associated with ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, right-sided juxtaposition of left atrial appendage, is reported. The patient showed usual atrial arrangement with somewhat superoinferior relation, a discordant atrioventricular connection, and a concordant ventriculoarterial connection with aorta in the right-sided position. A normal sized left atrium was connected to the left superiorly positioned morphologic right ventricle through a tricuspid valve, which crossed the left ventricular outflow tract anteriorly. Well developed bilateral[subaortic and sub-pulmonary]conus was documented at operative field. successful surgical repair was done by performing the Senning procedure and by closing the ventricular sepal defect with a patch through the right ventriculotomy. The infant’s postoperative course was uneventful with normal sinus rhythm. Postoperative cardiac catheterization revealed no hemodynamic obstruction or residual shunt.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.381-388
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• 1984

Cor triatriatum is rare congenital cardiac anomaly first described by Church in 1868. The anomaly consists of an abnormal partitioning of the left atrium by a fibromuscular membrane that divides the atrium into an upper chamber, which receives the pulmonary veins, and a lower chamber, which contains the atrial appendage and the mitral valve. The upper and lower chambers communicate through a stenotic fenestration in the membrane, which has the hemodynamic consequence of pulmonary venous obstruction. Recently we experienced cot triatriatum associated with partial anomalous pulmonary drainage to right atrium. The upper chamber was connected to right atrium through a sinus venous type of ASD and received left superior and both inferior pulmonary vein, whereas the lower chamber so called true left atrium communicated with right atrium through foramen ovale type of ASD, left atrial appendage and mitral orifice. And the anomalous membrane has no fenestrations which permit blood flow. The operation was made right atrial approach under the CPB. We excised completely the anomalous septum and reconstructed atrial septal defect with pericardial patch to drain the right upper pulmonary vein to the left atrium. The postoperative course has been good during follow up.