[Traumatic mitral insufficiency secondary to ruptured chordae tendineae. Discussion of one case (author's transl)]

One case of mitral insufficiency due to traumatic rupture of the posterior chordae is described. The most consistent clinical and non-invasive cardiovascular findings were: previous non-penetrating thorax trauma; rapidly progressing congestive heart failure; loud apical systolic murmur; sinus rhythm; normal radiological evidence of the left atrium; echocardiographic disorderly movement and coarse fluttering of posterior leaflet, systolic fluttering of mitral valve, diastolic additional echoes between mitral leaflets and systolic ones into the left atrium (due to ruptured chordae?). This patient underwent a valvular replacement surgery. When attempting a diagnosis of this accident, while haemodynamic and angiographic data are helpful mainly in the definition of retrograde mitral flow severity, the echocardiographic findings appears to be more important to state precisely the site and the kind of the lesion.