MASSIVE DILATATION OF THE LEFT AURICLE: REPORT OF THREE CASES

Abstract

Two clinical cases of unusual massive dilatation of the left auricle and one case of huge combined left and right auricular enlargement are presented. Chronic rheumatic heart disease was present along with mitral insufficiency, auricular fibrillation, and occasionally mitral stenosis. Massive left auricular enlargement should be suspected if, in the usual case of chronic rheumatic heart disease, one finds dysphagia, cough, chest pain, good exercise tolerance relative to the greatly enlarged heart, visible and palpable systolic expansion of the right chest wall, the typical X-ray findings and persistent auricular fibrillation despite specific therapy.