Massive Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient with Subsequent Occurrence of Severe Mitral Regurgitation Due to Ruptured Chordae Tendineae

Abstract

This report concerns an apparently healthy woman who presented simultaneously with acute massive bilateral pulmonary embolism and mitral regurgitation, subsequently, a month later, resulting in pulmonary edema secondary to chordae rupture of the mitral valve. The authors believe that massive pulmonary embolism predisposed to chordal rupture in this case. It is suggested that increased awareness of ruptured chordae tendineae as a cause of mitral regurgitation and the prompt use of transesophageal echocardiography will facilitate the early recognition of this potentially fatal, but treatable, cause of mitral regurgitation in patients with pulmonary embolism.