Significance of left ventricular clefts-A case report

We describe the case of a 48-year-old patient who presented with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Left ventriculography performed during the initial coronary angiography revealed the presence of structural abnormalities in the myocardial wall which subsequently, with the use of contrast echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, were confirmed to represent ventricular clefts. We reviewed the pathophysiological significance of these defects and compared them with similarly looking abnormalities such as aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and diverticula. In conclusion, recognition of ventricular clefts is needed to allow clinicians to differentiate them from other myocardial wall defects with different pathological profile and clinical significance.