A patient who sustained myocardial rupture following acute myocardial infarction is presented. The presenting sign was a left hemothorax. Surgical exploration confirmed myocardial rupture and a left-sided pericardial defect. The incidence of congenital pericardial defects and the presentation of myocar dial rupture is discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ellis K., Leeds NE, Himmelstein A.: Congenital deficiencies in partial pericardium: Review of two new cases including successful diagnosis by plain roentgenography. Am J Roentgenol82:125-137, 1959.
2.
Nasser WK, Helmen C., Tavel ME, et al: Congenital absence of the left pericardium: Clinical, electrocardiographic, radiographic, hemodynamic, and angiographic findings in six cases. Circulation41:469-478, 1970.
3.
Perna G.: Sopra un arresto di sviluppo della sierosa pericardica nell uomo. Anat Anz35:323-338, 1909.
4.
Bernal MJ, Lapiedra JD, Gonzalez I., et al: Angiocardiographic demonstration of a partial defect of the pericardium with herniation of the left atrium and ventricle. J Cardiovasc Surg27:344-346, 1986.
5.
Payvandi MN, Kerber RE: Echocardiography in congenital and acquired absence of the pericardium: An echocardiographic mimic of right ventricular volume overload. Circulation53:86-92, 1976.
6.
Salem DN, Hymanson AS, Isner JM, et al: Congenital pericardial defect diagnosed by computed tomography . Catheterization and Cardiovascular Diagnosis11:75-79, 1985.
7.
Schiavone WA , O'Donnell JK: Congenital absence of left portion of the parietal pericardium demonstrated by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging . Am J Cardiol5:1439-1440, 1985 .
8.
Bates RJ, Beutler S., Resnekov L., et al: Cardiac rupture—challenge in diagnosis and management . Am J Cardiol49:429-437, 1977.
9.
Wessler S., Zoll PM, Schlesinger MI: The pathogenesis of spontaneous cardiac rupture. Circulation6:334-351, 1952.
