Surgical Outcomes of a Modified Infarct Exclusion Technique for Post-Infarction Ventricular Septal Defects

BACKGROUND: Postinfarction ventricular septal defects (pVSDs) are a serious complication of acute myocardial infarctions. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical outcomes of the surgical treatment of pVSDs. METHODS: The medical records of 23 patients who underwent operations (infarct exclusion in 21 patients and patch closure in two patients) to treat acute pVSDs from 2001 to 2011 were analyzed. Intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation was performed in 19 patients (82.6%), one of whom required extracorporeal membrane support due to cardiogenic shock. The mean follow-up duration was 26.2±18.6 months. RESULTS: The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.3% (1/23). Residual shunts were found in seven patients and three patients required reoperation. One patient needed reoperation due to the transformation of an intracardiac hematoma into an abscess. No patients required reoperation due to recurrence of a ventricular septal defect during the follow-up period. The cumulative survival rate was 95.5% at one year, 82.0% at five years, and 65.6% at seven years. CONCLUSION: The use of a multiple-patch technique with sealants appears to be a reliable method of reducing early mortality and the risk of significant residual shunting in patients with pVSDs.