# Left Ventricular Non-compaction Cardiomyopathy: A Report of a Rare Case From Saudi Arabia

## TL;DR

A rare case of left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy in a Saudi male is reported, highlighting its symptoms and treatment approach.

## Contribution

The paper presents a rare clinical case of LVNC in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the limited literature on this condition in the region.

## Key findings

- Echocardiogram revealed heavy trabeculations and reduced ejection fraction in the left ventricle.
- The patient was diagnosed with LVNC and managed with guideline-directed medical therapy.
- LVNC can lead to severe complications like heart failure and arrhythmias if untreated.

## Abstract

Left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is an unusual congenital heart disease that predominantly affects the heart’s left ventricle. This disease is characterized by deep intertrabecular recesses and hypertrabeculations of the myocardial wall that link with the ventricle cavity. During embryogenesis, the fetal myocardium has to undergo a compaction process, wherein the trabeculated and spongy myocardial tissue compacts into a dense, solid form. An incomplete compaction process results in persistent non-compacted spongy myocardial tissue and trabeculations prominent in the left ventricle. This disease could be marked alone or be present in coexistence with other congenital heart abnormalities. We present a rare case of a 57-year-old Saudi male who presented to the ER with chest pain and dyspnea. Due to severe chest pain, he was admitted to the coronary care unit. On further investigation, an echocardiogram revealed heavy trabeculations in the dilated left ventricle and a reduced ejection fraction. The case was diagnosed as LVNC and possible heart failure. The patient was discharged after he was kept under guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) along with certain medications and will be evaluated after six months of GDMT to decide on implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy. Although LVNC is rare, it can lead to severe heart conditions like arrhythmias, thromboembolism, and heart failure.