Friable heart tissue

Friable heart tissue

Friable heart tissue is seen in the early days after a heart attack till the scar formation is complete. This region is prone for rupture with a sudden increase in the pressure within the ventricular cavity. Cardiac rupture is immediately fatal unless contained by portion of the pericardium. Then it becomes a pseudoaneurysm.

In general, the heart walls of elderly are more friable and liable to rupture during manipulations of catheters used for procedures like temporary pacing or radiofrequency ablation.