[A successful transatrial repair of post-infarction ventricular septal defect]

A 63-year-male underwent successful operation for the ventricular septal perforation (VSP) caused by the inferior myocardial infarction. As the condition was stable, an operation was performed at the 43rd day after onset of myocardial infarction. Exposure was obtained by the opening the right atrium and retracting the tricuspid valve. The defect was in the posterior portion of the ventricular septum and closed using a Dacron patch. His postoperative course was uneventful. Postoperative examinations show no residual shunt. We believe that this approach may offer reduced mortality and morbidity in a selected group of patients with acquired posterior VSP, by avoiding such complications as further trauma to the ventricle, hemorrhage, and arrhythmias.