[Posttraumatic pericardial laceration and cleft of the anterior mitral leaflet]

A 17-year-old patient sustained blunt trauma to the chest, during a motor vehicle accident, resulting in a pericardial laceration and cleft of anterior leaflet of mitral valve; both lesions were treated conservatively at a later date. The reasons of late symptomatology of valvular injury and absent initial identification are analyzed. Echocardiography's role for diagnosis, indication and choice of surgical treatment is emphasized.