Congenital giant left atrial appendage aneurysm: a case report

BACKGROUND: Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare cardiac anomaly with potentially serious complications, including life-threatening systemic thromboembolism, atrial tachyarrhythmia, and cardiac dysfunction. Currently, early surgical intervention is generally recommended to prevent these complications. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of congenital giant LAAA in a female patient who successfully completed pregnancy and underwent caesarean section with no obvious complications. Surgical resection of the LAAA was performed 3 years later, at the onset of chest pain resulting from compression of adjacent cardiac structures by the LAAA. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection is recommended for the majority of patients with LAAA because of potential LAAA-related severe outcomes. However, clinical monitoring may be an optional strategy for asymptomatic patients without intra-atrial thrombus or other complications. Precise evaluation with echocardiography and brain magnetic resonance imaging is valuable for the subsequent management of LAAA.