Para-infections aneurysms are a very rare complication but bear the risk of significant morbidity and mortality in case of rupture and hemorrhage. We present the youngest published case of a right-sided pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm due to nonmultiresistant
Staphylococcus aureus
pneumonia in a 7-month old boy, complicated by 2 episodes of significant hemorrhage. Selective microvascular plug embolization of the feeding segmental pulmonary artery by interventional radiology and cardiology was successfully undertaken while having a cardiothoracic surgical team on stand-by. Follow-up ultrasounds showed no residual flow distal to the microvascular plug. The patient had complete clinical recovery 10 months after the initial presentation. Interventional radiology procedures are challenging in children due to limited availability of appropriately-sized equipment, low case numbers, and a limited body of literature.
A 20-month old girl with severe pulmonary hypertension and cardiomegaly was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit with right ventricular failure of unknown origin. Only after decompression of the heart chambers under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), did the pathognomonic membrane of Cor triatriatum become visible on echocardiography. The patient underwent successful surgical correction and subsequently cardiac function recovered completely. Cor triatriatum remains a rare congenital cardiac disorder with a variable presentation, often including recurrent respiratory infections before right-sided heart failure occurs. This case illustrates that ECMO can serve not only as a bridge to diagnosis, but can also facilitate correct diagnosis. Given the excellent outcome after surgical treatment, it is crucial that cardiologists rule out the possibility of cor triatriatum when assessing a child with unexplained pulmonary hypertension.
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