Submitral left ventricular aneurysm is a poorly known entity in our country; it has been described mainly in the southern and western African black populations. It appears to be related to a ventricular wall weakness in the area of implantation of the posterior mitral valve leaflet. A 20-year-old white man was admitted with complaints of dyspnea and palpitation. On admission he was in NYH A class IV. After medical treatment the cardiac area was very enlarged and there was a systolic murmur +++/++++. The twodimensional echocardiography as well as the angiocardiography revealed annular submitral left ventricular aneurysm associated with severe mitral regurgitation. He was operated upon on October 20, 1986. We closed the neck of the aneurysm with a pericardial patch. The mitral valve was replaced due to a severe distortion. The patient is well, six years after the surgery.
aneurysms, left ventricle, submitral