Vectorcardiography in the diagnosis of postoperative myocardial infarction

Fifty-three consecutive patients, mean age 63 years, undergoing either peripheral vascular reconstructive surgery (n = 40) or lobectomy for bronchial carcinoma (n = 13) were examined pre- and postoperatively with conventional electrocardiogram (ECG), vectorcardiogram (VCG) and estimation of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total lactic dehydrogenase and the heat-stable fraction of lactic dehydrogenase for the diagnosis of per/postoperative myocardial infarction (MI). Six patients (11%) developed signs of acute MI. In 2 patients whose ECG showed only unspecific changes, the VCG was decisive for the diagnosis. The serum enzyme values alone were of limited value in the diagnosis of per/postoperative MI.