Left ventricular apical hypoplasia: Case report on cardiomyopathy and a history of sudden ‎cardiac death

<p><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Isolated left ventricular apical hypoplasia with several different unrecognized dimensions is a newly discovered congenital anomaly of the heart.</p> <p><strong>CASE REPORT:</strong> In this report, we describe a case of cardiomyopathy of this type occurring in a 13-year-old male with a history of mental retardation and sudden cardiac death (SCD) of second-degree relatives. The patient was referred for an evaluation of cardiac status. An echocardiography analysis demonstrated a spherical left ventricle (LV) appearance with mild mitral regurgitation. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed a spherical and truncated LV appearance. The right ventricle was found to have elongated and wrapped around the LV, and diverticulum was also seen in the cardiac MRI.</p> <p><strong>DISCUSSION:</strong> To the best of our knowledge, this is to present the first case of LV apical hypoplasia combined with LV diverticulum and a family history of SCD. As more cases featuring this cardiomyopathy type are recognized, it will be easier to elucidate the natural history and management of such cardiac anomalies.</p><p>&nbsp;