Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>In the workup of a pediatric patient with pericarditis we found evidence of a pseudo-aneurysm of the left ventricle, which is a rare complication of purulent pericarditis.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Case presentation</jats:title>
<jats:p>We present a case of a six-year-old girl who was diagnosed with pericarditis and a fistula between the pericardial and the intra-luminal space of the left ventricle of the heart. She was successfully treated with antibiotics and cardio-thoracic surgery. We found 23 published cases (21 with follow-up) of infectious pseudo-aneurysm of the heart, of which 19 underwent surgery, 5 had fatal outcome, and 2 who refused surgery survived. The majority of cases were associated with <jats:italic>Staphylococcus aureus</jats:italic>. The exact mechanisms of this rare complication remain unknown.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>
<jats:p>A pseudo-aneurysm of the left ventricle is a rare and not well understood complication of a purulent pericarditis most commonly caused by <jats:italic>Staphylococcus aureus</jats:italic> infection. Because of risk of rupture, surgical intervention is advised.</jats:p>
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