Papillary muscle head rupture in a patient with normal coronarography findings

BACKGROUND: Rupture of papillary muscle generally happens during acute myocardial infarction and is the cause of acute mitral regurgitation, pulmonary oedema, so it should be promptly recognized and managed. CASE REPORT. A patient, 52 year-old, was admitted to the Thoracic Department with fever, general weakness, dyspnea and cough as a case of suspected pneumonia. Two days before the admission he was treated with antibiotics. At thoracic ward, his clinical status got serious and he transferred to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as pulmonary oedema. At the time of admission to ICU the patient was seriously ill with tachycardia, tachydyspnea, orthopnea and cyanosis image. Auscultatory, he showed pulmonal stasis at both sides and a tachyarrhythmic action, with a systolic murmur 5/6 grade above the mitral valve. Echocardiography showed grave mitral regurgitation with prolapsus of posterior leaflet with suspected chordal rupture. At coronarography no significant lesions of coronary arteries were found. After hemodynamic stabilization the patient was operated. During the operation, Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination showed a rupture of the head of the posteromedial papillary muscle. He was surgically treated with atypical quadrantectomy of posterior leaflet with homologous pericardial patch anuloplasty. CONCLUSION: The recognition of acute mitral regurgitation caused by the papillary muscle rupture and prompt surgical treatment is of vital interest for the survival of patients.