[Parietal rupture of the heart in the acute phase of a postero-inferior myocardial infarction. Echocardiographic diagnosis, surgical cure].

A 58 year old patient with no previous cardiac history developed a postero-inferior myocardial infarction, complicated at the 6th hour by parietal rupture leading to acute tamponade. This was diagnosed by echocardiography which showed a compressive pericardial effusion containing large thrombi. Surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass was successful and led to good quality survival, maintained for over 6 months.