Acute Severe Mitral Regurgitation Secondary to Ruptured Chordae Tendineae

Abstract
In 6 of 10 patients, the chordal rupture was the result of proved bacterial endocarditis, and in the other four, bacterial endocarditis may have been the etiologic factor. It is proposed that the majority of patients with ruptured chordae cannot sustain the acutely imposed hemodynamic burden for periods of time sufficient to allow the increase in left atrial compliance so frequently observed in patients with chronic rheumatic mitral regurgitation.