title: Surgical treatment of ventricular septal defect complicating acute myocardial infarction. Experience of a north Italian referral hospital.
abstract: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) of patients referred to our institution for surgical treatment, by assessing the role of several operative, pre- and post-operative variables on mortality. The medical records of 58 consecutive patients (mean age 73+/-7 years), operated on after 14+/-12 days from the acute myocardial infarction were retrospectively reviewed and the data were analyzed. Associated procedures were left ventricular reconstruction in 13 patients and aortocoronary bypass grafting in 47 (81%). The overall operative, in-hospital mortality rate was 52% (75% in patients operated on within the first week and 16% if time from infarct to surgery was >3 weeks). Time from AMI to surgery and time from hospital admission to operation were significantly shorter in non-survivors (p=0.003 and 0.012, respectively). Other pre-operative variables significantly associated with mortality were: cardiogenic shock, pulmonary pressure, VSD diameter. In conclusion, time from AMI to operation appears to be a very important prognostic factor. However, size of VSD and hemodynamic conditions significantly influence the mortality. Moreover, concomitant procedures of revascularization can be safely performed, when required, as actually occurs in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Istituto Policlinico San Donato, E. Malan Cardiovascular Center, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cerin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Donato
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimulescu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Montericcio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menicanti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frigiola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Ambroggi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018658:Ventricular Septal Rupture / Q000601:surgery*