Cardiac Strangulation Due to Partial Pericardial Defect Presenting as Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

A 79-year-old man with chest pain and dyspnea underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction. However, he died 17 days later due to refractory heart failure. An autopsy revealed cardiac strangulation caused by herniation of the apical heart through a pericardial defect due to partial absence of the pericardium. ( Level of Difficulty: Advanced. )