[Acute and subacute ruptures of the free wall of the heart in acute myocardial infarction].

Nowadays, acute rupture of the cardiac free wall is, after cardiac failure, the second most frequent cause of hospital deaths consecutive to acute myocardial infarction. This mechanical complication of myocardial infarction is usually beyond surgical treatment in patients with sudden cardiac arrest at the time of rupture. However in about 30% of the cases the rupture may be subacute and amenable to surgical treatment provided the condition is rapidly diagnosed. Diagnostic criteria are clinical (abrupt fall in blood pressure, often preceded by recurrent thoracic pain, associated with venous hypertension in the absence of left ventricular failure), haemodynamic or angiographic but mainly echocardiographic (pericardial effusion with or without intrapericardial mass suggesting a blood clot). Attention should be paid to certain subgroups at risk, notably women under 70 and patients with prolonged or recurrent anginal pain.