Delayed ventricular septal rupture complicating anterior wall myocardial infarction

A 59-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with acute pulmonary oedema and cardiogenic shock 35 days after anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction. She developed a new loud pan systolic murmur. Echocardiography revealed a ventricular septal rupture with a significant left to right shunt. She was immediately transferred to the local cardiothoracic unit where she underwent a successful ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair. Ventricular septal rupture often presents within the first 24 hours of acute myocardial infarction and is rare thereafter. It carries a poor mortality (41-80%) even when recognised. Timely recognition of this life-threatening complication can help reduce the resultant morbidity and mortality. Doctors should be aware that this well-recognised complication may present unusually late as in this case.