Mechanical complications of myocardial infarction during COVID-19 pandemic: An Italian single-centre experience

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic triggered in many patients the fear to go to the emergency rooms in order to avoid a possible infection. This phenomenon caused a significant reduction in acute coronary syndrome-related interventional procedures with a subsequent increase in critical hospitalizations and post-infarction mechanical complications. A case series of cardiac ruptures during the COVID-19 lockdown and the surgical treatment of a huge post-ischemic cardiac pseudoaneurysm complicated by a "contained" free wall rupture are presented.