[Rupture of the mitral chordae tendinae]

Twenty-seven cases of ruptured chordae tendineae have been discovered during surgery for mitral regurgitation (9,3 %) : the highest incidence of ruptured chordae tendineae has been found among pure mitral insufficiency (36 %). In thirteen cases, the rupture was isolated, without any other valvular lesion. The syndrome described as characteristic of rupture was present in one third of our patients : isolated cases do not differ clinically from the others but for a more frequent acute evolution. In pure or predominant mitral regurgitation, surgery seems needed when clinical aggravation, acute or progressive, cannot be explained by arrhythmia, anaemia, pulmonary embolism, hyperthyroidism.