Postinfarction left ventricular free wall rupture: a 17-year single-centre experience.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiac Surgery
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) is a rare but devastating complication of acute myocardial infarction.
• LVFWR carries a high mortality rate, estimated between 60% and 90% without surgical intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality in patients experiencing LVFWR.
• To evaluate the long-term outcomes following surgical repair of LVFWR.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 35 patients who underwent surgery for LVFWR between 2000 and 2016.
• Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Main Results:

• In-hospital survival was 65.7%.
• Cardiac arrest at presentation was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR 11.7, P=0.003).
• Five-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 53.2% and 49.1%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention are critical for managing LVFWR.
• Patients surviving high-risk LVFWR surgery show a trend towards long-term benefit.