[Isolated rupture of the chordae tendineae of the mitral valve]

The authors report a personal case of mitral incompetence, due to rupture of the chordae tendineae and note the signs of this disease. The patient first developed pulmonary oedema with thoracic pain, a mitral systolic murmur and a presystolic gallop rhythm, which suggested the diagnosis in a patient in sinus rhythm with a normal size heart, the left atrium was expansive and there were obvious signs of pulmonary congestion. The rapidly fatal course may be explained by the large number of ruptured chordae tendineae. Autopsy showed that the mitral valve was normal in texture. Histological study of the ruptured cord, showed lesions of dense hyaline fibrosis and mucoid infiltration of the basic substance.