[Echocardiography diagnosis of infarct complications].

Congestive heart failure, shock or severe arrythmias after myocardial infarction can be caused by mechanical complications suitable for surgical correction. These complications - such as aneurysms, rupture of the ventricular wall, septum or papillary muscle, pericardial tamponade - are reliably detected or excluded by echocardiography. Additional aspects related to the surgical techniques can be evaluated, moinly the resectability of left ventricular aneurysms. From these, pseudoaneurysms bearing a high risk of rupture can be differentiated. The causes of systolic murmurs after myocardial infarction - septal rupture, papillary muscle rupture or dysfunction - can be classified definitely. The diagnosis of Dressler's syndrome is facilitated by echocardiographic demonstration of pericardial effusion.