[Rupture of post-infarction left ventricular aneurysm. Apropos of 2 cases treated surgically successfully]

Two cases of post-infarction anterior left ventricular aneurysm complicated by localised rupture into the pericardium are reported. The clinical features of these cases were severe cardiac failure, 10 days or more after initial necrosis posing the problem of myocardial failure due to extension of the infarct. The surgical indications were brought by left ventricular angiography performed under intra-aortic balloon pumping: in the first case the diagnosis had already been suggested by the detection of a hemopericardium on echocardiography. In both cases, the surgical procedure comprised aneurysmectomy with reinforcement of the ventricular wall with bands of Teflon. The postoperative period was complicated due to the very precarious hemodynamics at the time of surgery. The functional status of both patients is now very satisfactory.