The knowledge of certain electrocardiographic signs in patients with acute coronary syndrome and left bundle branch block increases the chances of early diagnosis and the possibility of better and timely treatment.

A case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart diagnosed through biopsy material and confirmed by autopsy is reported because of the few recorded instances and the unusually diffuse nature of t h e neoplasm. The h e a r t with tumor weighed 1450 g. There was a single metastasis t o a mediastinal lymph node. PPROXIMATELY 200 SARCOMAS PRIMARILY A involving the myocardium have been re-rorded, 31 of which were rhabdomyosarco-mas.' Because of the few recorded instances and the unusually diffuse nature of the neo-plasm we encountered, the following additional case is being reported.

AbstractA 65-year-old patient with a systolic murmur that developed five days after acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction was referred to our Institution. He had previously been treated with fibrinolytic therapy. The patient was in a stable hemodynamic condition when admitted, with sustained diuresis. Blood gas analysis revealed normal parameters, whereas a chest X-ray showed signs of pulmonary congestion. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 1.5×1.2 cm post-infarction ventricular septum defect (VSD) in the apical part of the septum. Because the patient’s hemodynamic conditions were stable, we decided to postpone the operative treatment to allow scarring of the infarcted area to make VSD repair feasible, thereby increasing the chance for success. Operative treatment was performed three weeks after admission. We performed closure of the VSD with a bovine pericardial patch. The patient was discharged in good condition and remained well three months after the surgery.

AbstractWe have described a rare case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in pregnancy, which is presented with cardiac arrest (ventricular fibrillation) at onset. In this case, the transient left ventricular ballooning in absence of coronary artery disease, produced a severe impairment of cardiac function with typical echocardiographic and electrocardiographic findings. There were complications in the form of ventricular fibrillation, with recurrence due to possible Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and new malignant heart rhythm disorder that increases the mortality rate compared with the first attack of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Due to presented symptoms the patient has opted for the implantation of cardioverter defibrillator.