Survival following self-limited left ventricular free wall rupture during myocardial infarction

The clinical, angiographic and therapeutic features of eight patients who developed a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (PA) after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and those of 25 who did not develop this complication following a medically managed left ventricular free wall rupture (FWR) were compared. These 25 patients were treated with pericardiocentesis, extended rest and strict blood pressure control. Most patients with FWR or PA had a first AMI and absence of overt heart failure. Both groups had a comparable age, frequency of systemic hypertension and extent of coronary disease. Pericardial effusion (> or =10 mm) was documented in all patients with FWR and in two of the three with PA with this information. Twenty four patients with FWR were hospitalized within the first 48 h (96%) but only three of those with PA (37.5%, P