[Mitral valve replacement for mitral regurgitation caused by papillary muscle head rupture complicating acute myocardial infarction: report of a case].

A 71-year-old female was admitted for acute posterolateral infarction. On the next day of the successful emergency perctaneous coronary intervention, she developed severe dyspnea and was intubated at intensive care unit. Massive mitral regurgitation was detected on color Doppler imaging and left ventricular cardiac failure was increasingly developed. The urgent operation was performed for papillary muscle rupture 18 days after first episode. Head rupture of the posterior papillary muscle was found during surgery and the mitral valve was replaced by a prosthetic valve (SJM # 25). The postoperative course was uneventful and she discharged on 52 days after surgery.