Subacute Left Ventricular Free-Wall Rupture After Thrombolysis: From Concealed Rupture on CT to Successful Surgical
Mohamed Ghaleb1, Omar Elsayed1, Mahmoud F Elshahat1,2
1Department of Cardiology, Hail Cardiac Centre, King Salman Specialized Hospital, Hail 55476, Saudi Arabia.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Left ventricular free-wall rupture (LVFWR) is a rare complication of heart attack. Multimodality imaging, especially cardiac CT, aids in diagnosing contained LVFWR, enabling timely surgical repair and improved patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Cardiac Surgery
Background:
- Left ventricular free-wall rupture (LVFWR) is a rare but highly fatal mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
- While primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has reduced its incidence, LVFWR remains a significant cause of early post-infarction mortality.
- Contained or "oozing" ruptures present diagnostic challenges due to hemodynamic stability and nonspecific symptoms, often missed by standard echocardiography.
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