Subacute rupture of the free left ventricular wall following acute myocardial infarction. Successful surgery in a case

Free left ventricular wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction usually results in cardiac tamponade and sudden death. Occasionally, the bleeding into the pericardial sac is arrested by the surrounding pericardial tissue causing formation of a pseudoaneurysm. The case herein reported presented with a refractory pericardial effusion 1 month after an anterior myocardial infarction. While echocardiography failed to reveal a pseudoaneurysm or to localize a rupture, cineventriculography disclosed the diagnosis of a minimal rupture of the left ventricular free wall. The patient was successfully treated by surgery.     

Long-term usefulness of percutaneous intrapericardial fibrin-glue fixation therapy for oozing type of left ventricular free wall rupture: a case report.

This report describes a long-term survival case of left ventricular free wall rupture treated with percutaneous intrapericardial fibrin-glue fixation therapy. A 82-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency room because of vomiting and syncope diagnosed as acute posterolateral myocardial infarction complicated by cardiac tamponade. After her hemodynamic condition was stabilized by drawing off the bloody pericardial effusion, fibrin-glue was injected into pericardial space with the expectation that the glue would cover the oozing site of the left ventricular epicardium. After this therapy, the patient recovered and did not have any no recurrent cardiac events for 1 year. Serial echocardiographic studies revealed a preserved left ventricular function and no development of left ventricular restriction. This case suggests that percutaneous intrapericardial fibrin-glue fixation therapy is an effective treatment for the oozing type of left ventricular free wall rupture and that there is no risk of left ventricular restriction during long-term follow-up.     

急性心肌梗塞并发心脏破裂11例临床和病理分析

对１１例经尸检证实的急性心肌梗塞并发心脏破裂（其中４例为心室游离窒不完全破裂）进行临床和病理分析，强调对心脏破裂，尤其是心室游离壁不完全破裂，应早期诊断。心室游离壁不完全破裂的临床表现，类似急性心包填塞和心源性休克，患者存活时间可达数小时，如能及时用超声心动图等检查方法尽早明确诊断，部分患者可望获救。文中就静脉溶栓治疗对心脏破裂的可能影响也进行了探讨。     

Survival after oozing type cardiac rupture associated with subepicardial aneurysm evaluated by echocardiography: a case report

A 64-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with acute myocardial infarction. She underwent emergent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed mild pericardial effusion on the third day. Pericarditis or cardiac rupture were suspected, so transthoracic echocardiography was repeated serially. On the sixth day, transthoracic echocardiography showed increasing pericardial effusion and abrupt interruption of the apical myocardium of the left ventricle and intact epicardial imaging with systolic expansion. The diagnosis was oozing type cardiac rupture of a subepicardial aneurysm. Surgical treatment was successful and the accuracy of the echocardiographic diagnosis was established.     

Unexplained recurrent pericardial effusion: a lethal warning?

A case of a 37 year old man with cardiac angiosarcoma causing recurrent pericardial effusion, who eventually died of cardiac rupture, is presented. The diagnosis was not established until the postmortem examination despite echocardiography, pericardiocentesis, and pericardial biopsy investigations. There is neither a specific manifestation that enables early recognition nor well proven effective treatment against this disease. Accordingly, the prognosis of cardiac angiosarcoma remains grave. A high index of suspicion is recommended in patients who present with unexplained pericardial effusion.     

Cardiac cysts. A case of isolated cardiac hydatidosis]

In the presence of cardiac cysts we must discard a hydatid disease, even if there is no involvement of other organs. Imaging techniques are useful for guiding the initial diagnosis. The presence of daughter vesicles or multiple cysts is very characteristic. We present a patient affected by cardiac hydatid disease, in the form of multiple cardiac cysts, without extracardiac affectation, who presented pericardial chest pain. The patient was dealt with surgery to avoid the risks of a cyst rupture.     

Aortic insufficiency and cardiac herniation associated with blunt chest trauma

Aortic insufficiency and cardiac herniation due to pericardial rupture after blunt chest trauma are rare complications and are usually associated with high mortality. We report on a patient with simultaneous aortic insufficiency and cardiac herniation. He was involved in a falling accident, but initially presented no symptoms associated with the heart. At a later stage, he developed dyspnea on effort and a final diagnosis was completed. He was successfully treated surgically.     

Images of magnetic resonance and computerized axial tomography in a case of subacute post-myocardial infarct heart rupture

In a patient with clinical and hemodynamic criteria of cardiac tamponade, during the acute phase of myocardial infarction, a two dimensional echocardiographic study showed pericardial effusion with an echo-dense mass in the pericardial space. Subacute ventricular free-wall rupture diagnosis was suspected. A cardiac computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) study was made. CT showed an elevated density (32 HU) of pericardial effusion suggesting hemopericardium. RM imaging showed a very high and homogeneous signal in the pericardial space consistent with a methemoglobin phase clot. Anatomic confirmation was not possible.     

Hemopericardium and tamponade following intracoronary thrombolysis with streptokinase

Two patients underwent surgery for hemopericardium and pericardial tamponade after intracoronary thrombolysis by streptokinase for acute myocardial infarction. In both instances, the artery had reopened, but left ventricular function had not improved. A subxiphoid pericardial window relieved the tamponade, and both patients made good recovery. Hemopericardium is rare in myocardial infarction without cardiac rupture or anticoagulant therapy, and may constitute a specific complication of reperfusion with streptokinase. Pericardial window may be preferable to pericardiocentesis because of the possibility of cardiac rupture.     

Right ventricular hydatid cyst ruptured to pericardium

Cardiac hydatidosis is rare presentation of body hydatidosis. Incidence of cardiac involvements range from 5% to 5% of patients with hydatid disease. Most common site of hydatid cyst in heart is interventricular septum and left ventricular free wall. Right ventricular free wall involvement by cyst that ruptured to pericardial cavity is very rare presentation of hydatid cyst. Cardiac involvement may have serious consequences such as rupture to blood steam or pericardial cavity. Both the disease and its surgical treatment carry a high complication rate, including rupture leading to cardiac tamponade, anaphylaxis and also death. In the present report, a 43-year-old man with constrictive pericarditis secondary to a pericardial hydatid cyst is described.     

Oozing type cardiac rupture repaired with percutaneous injection of fibrin-glue into the pericardial space: case report

Two patients, a 56-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman who were admitted to hospital because of anteroseptal acute myocardial infarction, were initially treated successfully with direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. However, both patients later developed sudden cardiogenic shock due to cardiac tamponade caused by left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR). Prompt, life-saving pericardiocentesis was performed, then fibrin-glue was percutaneously injected into the pericardial space. After the procedure, there was no detectable pericardial effusion on echocardiography and the hemodynamic state became stable. The surgical treatment was the standard procedure for LVFWR, but percutaneous fibrin-glue therapy can also be considered for oozing type LVFWR.     

Ventricular free wall rupture: sudden, subacute, slow, sealed and stabilized varieties

Six cases of acute myocardial infarction with blood in the pericardial sac are described. In one case rapid death followed myocardial rupture leaving no time for the possibility of intervention. Of two other cases acute symptoms developing after myocardial rupture, one was operated on promptly and the other, whose condition improved on pericardiocentesis, after a delay of a few hours. Both are now long term survivors A fourth patient probably had two episodes of rupture which apparently sealed off. He underwent cardiac catheterization, but no epicardial leak was found. Subsequently at operation a sealed myocardial rupture was detected and sutured over. The fifth patient suffered a silent myocardial rupture. A false aneurysm was diagnosed four months later and he withstood successful surgery. In the sixth patient, the course was similar to that of case 1, namely rapid death with a clinical picture suggestive of tamponade. Postmortem examination showed a covert rupture with some evidence of attempts to plug the opening. The purpose of this report is to emphasize the varying course which myocardial rupture can take.     

Subacute left ventricular free wall rupture. Surgical repair prompted by echocardiographic diagnosis

Subacute cardiac rupture may occur in patients with electrocardiographic and enzyme evidence of transmural myocardial infarction. In the unusual case we encountered, these changes were absent. The echocardiographic observation of an echo-dense area within the pericardial space, due to an organized thrombus, provided early diagnosis of cardiac rupture and prompted surgery.     

Delayed Left Ventricular Free-Wall Rupture after Cardiac Sarcoma Resection

We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who underwent cardiac sarcoma resection and presented later with spontaneous left ventricular free-wall rupture. The original tumor resection required autotransplantation and a transmitral approach, including partial resection of the inner left ventricular wall. Although the patient did well postoperatively, 3 weeks later she developed a large pericardial effusion with tamponade. Intraoperatively, a portion of the left ventricular free wall ruptured and required repair with a Dacron patch. The patient recovered and was discharged from the hospital 3 weeks later. To our knowledge, this is the 1st reported case of spontaneous ventricular rupture after the resection of a cardiac tumor.Key words: Cardiac surgical procedures, cardiac tamponade/etiology, heart neoplasms/complications/surgery, heart rupture/etiology/pathology, heart ventricles/pathology/surgery, neoplasm invasiveness, pericardial effusion/etiology, postoperative complications, sarcoma/pathology/surgeryMalignant primary cardiac tumors are extremely rare, and surgical resection can be challenging. Many of these tumors can be debulked; however, involvement of the ventricular free wall presents a unique challenge of how much tissue to resect safely. Here, we report the case of a 38-year-old woman who experienced spontaneous ventricular free-wall rupture after having undergone resection of a cardiac sarcoma.     

Anterior mediastinal teratoma presenting as cardiac tamponade

Anterior mediastinal teratoma presenting clinically as cardiac tamponade is unusual. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman, with an unremarkable prior history, who was admitted with cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardial aspiration showed a thick, yellow fluid. Computed tomography scan of the chest was suggestive of anterior mediastinal teratoma rupturing into the pericardium. Within 24 hours, just before the planned surgery could be performed, it re-ruptured, warranting emergency surgery. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of a teratoma. Early surgery is recommended for even asymptomatic benign mediastinal teratomas to avoid this potentially lethal complication of rupture into the pericardial cavity, and cardiac tamponade.     

Echocardiographic documentation of the instant of cardiac rupture: a case report

The instant of cardiac rupture was initially recorded using two-dimensional echocardiography in a patient with acute myocardial infarction. This 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain lasting for six hours. The admission electrocardiogram showed Q waves and S-T segment elevations in leads I, aVL, and V4-6. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed hypokinesis in the middle and apical portions of the anterior septum and hyperkinesis in the basal portion of the anterior septum and the posterior wall. When the patient suddenly lost consciousness, echocardiography detected a rapidly developing pericardial effusion, which filled the pericardial sac within 13 sec. A myocardial tear was recognized at the apex of the left ventricle between portions of the hypokinesis and hyperkinesis. A simultaneously-recorded electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm (84/min) which did not change at the moment of rupture and lasted further for 15 sec until a sudden alteration to sinus bradycardia (46/min) occurred. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was unsuccessful and the patient died. This is the first such case in the medical literature in which the instant of cardiac rupture was recorded. Detailed reviews of the video tapes revealed that rapid accumulation of pericardial fluid occurred, followed by transient sinus bradycardia, most likely due to vagal reflex to the stretched pericardium.     

Incidence and significance of pericardial effusion in acute myocardial infarction as determined by two-dimensional echocardiography

To determine the incidence and clinical significance of pericardial effusion after acute myocardial infarction, two-dimensional echocardiography was serially performed in 66 consecutive patients. Pericardial effusion was observed in 17 (26%); the effusion was small in 13 patients, moderate in 3 and large with signs of cardiac tamponade in 1. In this patient, two-dimensional echocardiography strongly suggested myocardial rupture. The observation of pericardial effusion was not associated with age, sex, previous myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation or treatment with heparin. It was more often a complication of anterior than of inferior acute infarction. Patients with pericardial effusion had higher peak levels of creatine kinase and lactic dehydrogenase and a higher wall motion score index. More patients with pericardial effusion had congestive heart failure or ventricular arrhythmias, developed a ventricular aneurysm or died within 1 year after their infarction. In conclusion, pericardial effusion is frequently visualized by two-dimensional echocardiography after acute myocardial infarction and its presence is associated with an increased occurrence of complications and cardiac death.     

Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma with Spontaneous Ruptures of the Right Atrium and Right Coronary Artery

Primary tumors of the heart are rarely seen. Cardiac angiosarcomas are malignant tumors that almost always have a poor prognosis. Atrium rupture and coronary artery fistula are very rare complications of primary cardiac angiosarcoma. We describe a 57‐year‐old man suffering from primary cardiac angiosarcoma with spontaneous ruptures of the right atrium and right coronary artery (RCA). Theoretically, either of these ruptures invariably results in pericardial effusion and tamponade that is rare but potentially life threatening. In this instance, however, the patient might have developed fibrous adhesions resulted from previous bloody pericardial effusion. A massive pericardial effusion was localized, which consequently prevented cardiac tamponade and hemodynamic collapse. Echocardiography revealed the tumor progression leading to detectable infiltration of solid mass into the right atrial (RA) wall, which is close to RCA. And color Doppler displayed the flow into the pericardial cavity through a disrupted RA wall and perforated RCA. Echocardiography remains the primary method of choice for evaluation of cardiac masses.     

Atypical clinical course of thoracic aortic dissection with subacute pericardial hemorrhage

A case of dissecting aortic aneurysm is reported which occurred without significant pain but was complicated by a subacute pericardial bleeding leading to a large pericardial effusion. The patient was hospitalized because of clinical signs of cardiac tamponade which could be alleviated by pericardiocentesis. Neither 2D-echocardiography nor a portable x-ray of the chest disclosed evidence of aortic dissection. After a symptom-free interval of several hours the patient died because of recurring intractable pericardial tamponade. The differential diagnosis of a large hemorrhagic pericardial effusion should include rupture of a dissecting aortic aneurysm even when typical symptoms are lacking.     

Ventricular free wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction: a two-dimensional echocardiographic assessment

To assess the usefulness of two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) in diagnosing ventricular free wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction, we studied the 2DE findings and the clinical pictures of seven consecutive patients with ventricular free wall rupture confirmed at the time of surgery or autopsy. Three patients had acute rupture; four, subacute rupture. All patients apparently had circulatory collapse despite continuing electrical activity at the onset of cardiac rupture. Four patients with subacute rupture recovered. In all patients, mild pericardial effusion was imaged by 2DE; however, this was not characteristic for cardiac rupture. In the patients with acute rupture, active left ventricular contractions were not observed after each QRS complex of the electrocardiogram. However, weak mitral valve motion was recorded at the time of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The interesting and constant finding in acute rupture was the right ventricular collapse observed throughout the cardiac cycle. Diastolic right ventricular collapse was consistently observed in patients with subacute rupture, immediately after recovery from cardiogenic shock. Subacute cardiac rupture is a potentially curable lesion, and the clinical features and quick 2DE confirmation of cardiac tamponade allowed immediate surgery which saved two of the four patients.