Spontaneous cardiac rupture.

An 83-year-old woman had a sudden onset of loss of consciousness with no detectable blood pressure. Pulseless electrical activity was present in the electrocardiogram and massive pericardial effusion was found by echocardiography. Emergent subxiphoid pericardiotomy and drainage was immediately performed to release the cardiac tamponade at bedside and was followed by rushing the patient to the operating room for exploration. As a result a ruptured hole was identified on the posterior-lateral wall of the left ventricle and the defect was successfully repaired. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and received postoperative study by cardiac catheterization, which disclosed coronary artery disease.