Incidental Finding of a Rare Left Atrial Appendage Anomaly: A Case Report

Feridoun Sabzi; Aghigh  Heydari; Mohammad  Rouzbahani; Atefeh Asadmobini

doi:10.5937/afmnai40-37783

Feridoun Sabzi Cardiovascular Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Aghigh Heydari Cardiovascular Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Mohammad Rouzbahani
Atefeh Asadmobini Kermanshah University of Medical Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/afmnai40-37783

Keywords: Congenital Heart Disease, Left Atrium, Atrial Appendage, Cardiovascular Abnormalities

Abstract

Congenital hypoplasia of left atrial appendage (LAA) with stenotic ostium in abnormal position is an extremely rare entity. We report a 43-year-old woman was admitted to our center with dyspnea on exertion. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed the presence of severe mitral stenosis and clot in LAA. The patient underwent open cardiac surgery by cardiopulmonary bypass. Intraoperative inspection of the left atrium revealed hypoplasia of LAA with stenotic and slit-like ostium. There was also malposition of LAA that placed in a paravalvular location. The ostium of the LAA was not round and wide but narrowed and slit-like. The authors believe that this anomaly may have some physiologic consequence in patients with mild structural failure. Indeed this anomaly may aggravate the severity of structural failure by pressure burden on atrial wall and valve.

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