[Parietal rupture of the heart in the acute phase of a postero-inferior myocardial infarction. Echocardiographic diagnosis, surgical cure]. / Rupture pariétale du coeur à la phase aiguë d'un infarctus du myocarde postéro-inférieur. Diagnostic échocardiographique, guérison chirurgicale.

A 58 year old patient with no previous cardiac history developed a postero-inferior myocardial infarction, complicated at the 6th hour by parietal rupture leading to acute tamponade. This was diagnosed by echocardiography which showed a compressive pericardial effusion containing large thrombi. Surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass was successful and led to good quality survival, maintained for over 6 months. A recent angiocardiographic control showed the absence of coronary artery lesions. This case is exceptionally rare and demonstrates the value of echocardiography in myocardial infarction complicated by sudden cardiovascular collapse. In addition, in this case, the haemorrhagic nature of the pericardial effusion was demonstrated by the visualization of thrombi in the pericardial space. Their presence would seem to be quite specific of parietal rupture.