Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with giant left atrium

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Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with giant left atrium

Uygar Cagdas Yuksel; Hurkan Kursaklioglu; Turgay Celik

Departamento de Cardiologia – Faculdade de Medicina – Academia Militar de Medicina Gulhane – Ancara, Turquia

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Key words: Cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic; heart atria; mitral insufficiency.

A 69 year old female patient with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and rheumatic mitral valve disease was scheduled for mitral valve replacement, and underwent a coronary angiography for preoperative evaluation of the coronary arteries. The left ventriculogram revealed a spade deformity (ace of spades) which is typical for apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (Fig. 1). No intraventricular or subaortic pressure gradient was present. A giant left atrium due to severe mitral regurgitation was also observed. The mediolateral diameter of the left atrium was 12cm, according to the measurement taken during the transthoracic echocardiography. A giant left atrium is defined as an atrium greater than 8cm and is a typical finding in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and severe regurgitation¹.

Reference

1. Fasseas P, Lee-Dorn R, Sokil AB, VanDecker W. Giant left atrium. Tex Heart Inst J. 2001;28:158-9.

Manuscript received September 6, 2006; revised manuscript received September 6, 2006; accepted September 14, 2006.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  20 Mar 2007
• Date of issue
  Feb 2007