Posterior rupture of the interventricular septum after acute myocardial infarction: successful early surgical repair.

A patient with a large posterior ventricular septal defect complicating an acute inferior myocardial infarction is reported. Because of medically intractable biventricular failure, temporary circulatory assistance was initiated using intraaortic balloon pumping. Emergency coronary angiography, ventriculography, and subsequent operation were carried out. Operative repair involved closure of the septal defect with the use of a Dacron patch, infarctectomy, and aortocoronary bypass grafting and resulted in long-term survival of the patient.