Rapid Swelling of Infarcted Myocardium Soon after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Sign of Critical Reperfusion Hemorrhage.

Although early reperfusion is the best approach to salvage ischemic myocardium and limit myocardial necrosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction, revascularization can also lead to adverse effects by causing reperfusion injury that results in further myocyte necrosis. Intramyocardial hemorrhage is considered a fulminant form of reperfusion injury and is caused by the extravasation of red blood cells via damaged endothelial walls; this leads to the expansion of the myocardial necrosis. Here, we present a case with intramyocardial hemorrhage demonstrating rapid swelling of infarcted myocardium after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention and discuss its clinical implication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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