Temporary balloon closure of a postinfarction interventricular septal rupture

The technical aspects of temporary closure of a postinfarction interventricular septal rupture in a 76-year-old woman in critical circulatory status ruling out conservative therapy and making surgical management unfeasible, are described. The patient was in cardiogenic shock with hepatorenal failure in acute myocardial infarction of both the anterior and posterior walls. A balloon catheter developed in our unit was employed to close the rupture.