Diagnosis and treatment of post-acute myocardial infarction ventricular aneurysm: A review

Ventricular aneurysm (VA) is a severe mechanical complication commonly associated with acute myocardial infarction. Patients who develop VA face a heightened risk of heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolism, and heart rupture, resulting in a poor prognosis. The fundamental distinction between VA and ventricular pseudoaneurysm (VPA) lies in whether the heart has ruptured. Medical treatment of symptomatic VA is limited, and surgery repair is frequently the preferred approach. Transcatheter closure techniques serves as a minimally invasive alternative, particularly for patients who are poorly tolerant to surgical procedures. Multi-modality imaging examinations are crucial for the diagnosis and treatment. The optimal treatment plan is formulated after assessment by a specialized cardiac team. Ventricular aneurysm represents a superior prognosis compared with VPA. The management of VA should differ significantly with VPA. At present, there remains a dearth of clinical research on VAs, where substantial clinical randomized controlled trials are lacking. It is therefore imperative that additional clinical studies be conducted in order to provide evidence-based medical guidance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of VA and VPA in the future. This article aims to provide a thorough review of VA's pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques, treatment options, and prognosis, offering valuable insights for clinical practice and future research.