[Therapeutic strategies for postinfarction left ventricular free wall rupture].

We treated 93 patients who developed left ventricular free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction. Medical management including pericardial drainage was performed in 78 patients (84%), but 67 of them died. All 11 surviving patients showed an oozing type rupture. Surgical repair was performed in 15 patients (16%). As a result, 9 patients died and 6 survived. All but 1 of the patients who died presented with a blow-out rupture. Blow-out type rupture occurred in 3 and oozing type rupture in 3 of the surviving patients. One patient with blow-out type rupture underwent implantation of a left ventricular assist device following percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS), because of low output syndrome after the operation. The device was successfully removed 7 days after implantation. In all of the 3 patients with oozing type rupture, sutureless technique was successfully performed using fibrin-glue or fibrin-glue sheet fixation. After a mean follow-up period of 7 years after operation, 5 of 6 are still alive. To improve the clinical outcome of left ventricular free wall rupture, it is important for surgeons to closely liaise with physicians, to perform surgical repair as soon as possible, and to utilize a circulatory support system after operation. Therefore, we developed a new PCPS system compatible with emergency cardiac surgery and a new left ventricular assist system draining via the left ventricle.