Early left ventricular free-wall rupture in non-STEMI never to be neglected

As the most dramatic and fatal complication, left ventricular free-wall rupture (LVFWR) used to present in approximately 3% of patients with acute myocardial infarction. After the introduction of primary percutaneous coronary intervention, the incidence of LVFWR decreased but remained approximately 1.7%. Left ventricular free-wall rupture occurs in patients with transmural myocardial infarction, which is almost exclusively ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This condition carries a high mortality as a result of hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade. Left ventricular free-wall rupture rarely occurs in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, but the risk of it cannot be ignored. This case describes early development LVFWR after non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction to evoke high vigilance of clinicians to this condition.