False aneurysm formation after ventricular rupture associated with reinfarction following successful thrombolysis.

A 69-year-old woman underwent successful thrombolysis for total occlusion in the right coronary artery using urokinase. One week later, the patient developed reinfarction in the area supplied by the right coronary artery, followed by ventricular rupture. She was resuscitated with drainage of the pericardial effusion. Cardiac catheterization confirmed that the site of the right coronary artery reocclusion was identical to that in the acute phase. A false aneurysm developed over the true aneurysm located in the inferior portion of the left ventricle as demonstrated by a ventriculogram at the convalescent stage and at surgery. The orifice of the false aneurysm has closed by suture.