title: Left ventricular free wall rupture in acute myocardial infarction: a case report and literature review.
abstract: We describe a case of subacute left ventricular free wall rupture during acute myocardial infarction in a 68-year-old man. The diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiography. The patient was supported by an intra-aortic balloon pump until the ruptured wall could be successfully repaired by suturing and gluing a pericardial patch over the defect and bypassing the left anterior descending coronary artery with a vein graft. This case demonstrates that left ventricular free wall rupture is not always fatal and that early diagnosis and institution of intra-aortic balloon pump support in such patients can allow successful bridging to definitive emergency surgical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiopulmonary Transplantation, Texas Heart Institute, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. smartcardio@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Offer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Akaira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Igor D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Gregoric
authors.forename: Frank W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Smart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006342:Heart Rupture, Post-Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014014:Tissue Adhesives