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Context: Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a dreaded complication following myocardial infarction. Surgical repair of VSR is associated with significant early mortality. Variable outcomes in terms of early mortality and midterm functional status have been reported from different centers.Aims: In our study, we attempt to review the experience of decision making and surgical repair of postinfarction VSR, and to analyze the factors contributing to the early mortality and midterm outcome after repair.Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective study. Data were summarized retrospectively by frequencies and percentages for categorical factors, and means and standard deviations for continuous factors. Multivariate logistic regression, odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and P value were calculated for different variables to determine their independent effect on operative mortality. All surviving patients answered the EQ-5D Health Questionnaire.Results: Preoperative renal failure, left ventricular dysfunction (moderate and severe), and Killip class (III and IV) were significantly associated with early mortality after surgery. Small residual ventricular septal defect (VSD) was not found to affect the midterm quality of life.Conclusions: Early surgical repair benefits the patient by preventing early end-organ damage. The renal failure left ventricular dysfunction (moderate and severe) and Killip class (III and IV) adversely affect early outcomes after surgery. Small residual ventricular septal defect (VSD) does not affect the midterm quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a rare but lethal mechanical complication of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Survival to 1 month without intervention is 6%. Given high surgical mortality, transcatheter closure has emerged as a potential strategy in selected cases. Indian data on percutaneous device closure of post AMI-VSR is scarce hence we report our single-centre experience with ASD occluder device (Amplatzer and lifetech) for closure of post-AMI VSR. Acquired ventricular septal defect (VSD) is uncommon, but serious mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction with poor outcome and high mortality rate in surgically or medically treated patients. Percutaneous closure is a potential technique in a selected group of patients. The presence of cardiogenic shock, IWMI and serpigeneous form of VSR constitutes important risk factors for mortality. Device implantation is in general successful with few procedure-related complications and should be applied on a case-by-case basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac involvement in familial amyloid polyneuropathy consists of arrhythmias, conduction disturbances, and heart failure. To our knowledge, heart rupture has never been described in association with this condition. We report the case of a 62-year-old man with a 6-year history of refractory familial amyloid polyneuropathy who underwent liver transplantation. The operation was complicated by severe hypotension because the neuropathy involved the autonomic system. Perioperatively, the patient had a myocardial infarction, and during the next 10 days, a complete interventricular septal rupture developed, resulting in a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt. Coronary angiographic findings were normal. However, the shunt caused unstable hemodynamics, resulting in cardiogenic shock. An attempt to close the rupture percutaneously failed. The patient underwent successful heart transplantation 50 days later. Macroscopic examination of the explanted heart showed thickening of both ventricles, septal rupture, and a gray scar in the interventricular septum around the cavity. Histopathologic examination revealed intramural amyloid angiopathy. Our case shows that heart rupture can occur in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy who have no history of obstructive coronary artery disease, perhaps as a result of tissue fragility caused by amyloid angiopathy. Therefore, autonomic disturbances should be regarded with concern and promptly treated in the perioperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ventricular septal rupture is a rare and potentially fatal complication of transmural myocardial infarction. Early identification utilising transthoracic echocardiography significantly improves long term outcomes in these patients. We report on a case of a 77-year-old male who presented with signs and symptoms of cardiac failure and a loud systolic murmur. The patient underwent an initial point-of-care ultrasound which revealed evidence of a transmural myocardial infarction and a high suspicion of an apical ventricular septal rupture. A complete transthoracic echocardiogram confirmed the septal rupture diagnosis and the patient subsequently underwent surgical repair of the ventricular rupture. This case highlights the role of echocardiography in decreasing adverse outcomes in patients with ventricular septal rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is an uncommon complication of myocardial infarction (MI). The mortality rate of VSR is high. The management of VSR is including the stabilization of the hemodynamic status and surgical closure of the rupture. In spite of the agreement of experts on the necessity of surgical repair, the timing of VSR repair management remains unclear. In this review article, we evaluate the optimal time repair of VSR. To collect the data, Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Registry databases were searched for potentially suitable studies. Search terms were including "Ventricular Septal Rupture", "Myocardial Infarction", "Timing", and "MI". According to the result of the studies, it seems that the time between VSR detection and its repair is a determining factor in the survival or mortality of patients in post-myocardial infraction VSR. Studies showed that earlier surgical repair in VSR increases the risk of mortality, because in the early phase after MI, infarcted myocardium is very fragile, and it is very difficult surgical repair and increases the risk of recurrent septal defects. The longer time is needed for the heart and different body systems to adapt to the hemodynamic results of the abrupt left to right shunt. It seems that the best time for the operation is after the maturation of VSR with scarring at the edges of the defect. Moreover, in a large number of patients, it is not possible to delay the operation since they are at risk of severe heart failure and organ dysfunction. In these cases operation immediately after diagnosis of VSR is recommended to prevent further hemodynamic deterioration. In hemodynamically compromised patients, it may be considered to use a ventricular assist device, requiring an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) preoperative to postpone the operation which leads to higher survival in post-MI-VSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 78-year-old woman was brought to our hospital for chest pain with shock status. An electrocardiogram showed ST elevation in the precordial leads. Echocardiography showed an anteroseptal wall motion abnormality with left-to-right shunt at the apex. Emergency coronary angiography revealed occlusion in the mid portion of the left anterior descending artery, and left ventriculography showed ventricular septal rupture (VSR). Despite successful emergency surgical VSR repair, the VSR recurred 10 days after surgery, and the patient required intra-aortic balloon pumping and mechanical ventilation. Although reoperation for VSR closure was attempted 33 days after admission, open heart surgery was not completed due to severe tissue adhesions from the prior cardiac surgery. The patient ultimately underwent transcatheter closure for VSR using an Amplatzer duct occluder 56 days after hospital admission, and her hemodynamics markedly improved. She was transferred to a regional hospital for rehabilitation without oxygen therapy or intravenous treatments 81 days after the percutaneous intervention. In conclusion, percutaneous device closure of post-infarction VSR may be an alternative treatment to surgical repair for inoperable cases. < Learning objective: Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a rare but frequently fatal complication of acute myocardial infarction and often requires early surgery. However, the recurrence rate of VSR after surgery is high, and reoperation is often difficult because of the critical nature of the patients' condition. The present case report highlights the effectiveness of percutaneous closure of VSR using Amplatzer devices for seriously ill patients with a high risk of reoperation.> [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in the predictors between ventricular septal rupture (VSR) and free wall rupture (FWR) have not been fully studied. Data on the prevalence and clinical outcome of heart rupture are limited.Hypothesis: This study aimed to investigate heart rupture incidence and clinical results in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods: Of 9265 AMI patients in the MOODY registry between March 1999 and October 2016, a total of 146 were studied. The primary clinical endpoint was rupture prevalence and in-hospital mortality. Independent factors of heart rupture were analyzed using Cox proportional model and were compared between patients with VSR and those with FWR.Results: Of 9265 AMI patients, 146 (1.58%) patients had a heart rupture (FWR, 94 (1.02%)) and VSR (52 (0.56%)). All patients with FWR died during hospitalization, and in-hospital mortality was recorded in 37 (71.2%) patients with VSR, who had an extremely longer time delay from AMI onset to the first medical contact (FMC) (~20 h). FWR usually occurred in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with a FMC ≥ 3 h, for whom primary reperfusion was not performed. Percutaneous repair at 1-2 weeks following AMI was associated with less mortality, and 9 of 38 patients who underwent non-primary reperfusion died post procedure.Conclusion: This study demonstrated the importance of shortening FMC to prevent VSR and of early primary reperfusion in STEMI patients to reduce FWR. Urgent closure of rupture is necessary to reduce in-hospital and 1-year mortality.Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.org, identifier: No. NCT03051048. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mechanical complications following myocardial infarction (MI) have decreased in incidence due to the widespread use of early percutaneous coronary revascularization methods. We describe two rare complications as well as their natural history and uncertainties of the ideal management approach. Case summary Sixty-two-year-old female with multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors who had a delayed presentation of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and went on to develop dissecting intramyocardial haematoma progressing to ventricular septal rupture and coronary ventricular fistula. Discussion Intramyocardial haematoma is a rare complication of MI. It is considered to be part of the continuum of myocardial rupture which our patient eventually developed in the form of ventricular septal defect. The second rare entity in the same patient was development of a coronary ventricular fistula of the infarct-related stented, artery. The best way of managing dissecting intramyocardial haematoma is unclear with conflicting data between conservative and invasive strategies. Our patient failed the conservative approach as she progressed to frank myocardial rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kawasaki disease and the associated complication of Ventricular Septal Rupture are extremely rare in neonates, particularly among premature infants. We report a case of a premature infant who was diagnosed with incomplete Kawasaki disease after an echocardiogram incidentally demonstrated a coronary artery aneurysm. The patient developed Ventricular Septal Rupture secondary to myocardial infarction seven months after the onset of the disease. This case highlighted the importance of coronary artery screening in a febrile neonatal patient who did not respond to multiple courses of antibiotics. Due to the rarity of the disease in neonates and the complications, the management of Ventricular Septal Rupture postneonatal Kawasaki disease is challenging as there is no consensus regarding treatment. • Neonates with a fever should be evaluated for Kawasaki disease. • Early detection of coronary artery abnormality is crucial for preventing complications. • Ventricular septal rupture is a rare complication of neonatal kawasaki disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 74‐year‐old woman developed inferior myocardial infarction due to right coronary artery occlusion and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Two days later, echocardiography revealed ventricular septal rupture, and Impella CP was inserted to avoid emergency surgery. However, the patient's hemodynamics deteriorated rapidly, necessitating additional venoarterial extracorporeal membranous oxygenation support with concomitant Impella support (ECPELLA). The ventricular septal rupture was surgically repaired using the extended sandwich technique via a right ventricular approach; the ascending aorta was clamped with the clampable portion of the Impella. The patient was successfully weaned from the Impella 3 days postsurgery. This case suggests that urgent surgery with ECPELLA support could be a useful option for patients with ventricular septal rupture, even in severe cases wherein emergency surgery is unavoidable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a rare but feared complication after myocardial infarction (MI). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of thrombolytic therapy on the patterns of VSR following MI. Methods: 30 consecutive patients admitted to a single tertiary level cardiac hospital with a diagnosis of acute MI and developed VSR in the hospital were included. The effect on thrombolytic therapy on the formation of VSR and its clinical outcome was studied. Results: Out of 30 patients, 15 patients received thrombolytic therapy.10 received early (12 h). The median time to post MI VSR formation was significantly shorter in thrombolysis group compared to non thrombolysis group at 1 vs 3 days(p = 0.026). The median time for VSR formation was shorter in early thrombolysis group compared to late thrombolysis group at 1 vs 3 days (p = 0.022). There was no difference between late and no thrombolytic therapy (3 vs 3 days, p = 0.672). There was no significant difference in the mortality between thrombolytic and no thrombolytic therapy (p = 0.690). Patients treated medically had a significant higher mortality compared to patients treated surgically (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Thrombolytic therapy results in an earlier presentation of VSR after MI. This earlier presentation may be due to reduction in the number of patients developing late VSR after thrombolytic therapy, while the number of patients developing an early VSR remaining unaffected. Despite improvements in medical therapy and percutaneous and surgical techniques, mortality with this complication remains extremely high.

Outcomes of ventricular septal rupture (VSR) as a complication of acute myocardial infarction are extremely poor, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 45% in surgically treated patients and 90% in patients managed with medication. Delaying surgery for VSR is a strategy for reducing mortality. However, hemodynamic instability is the main problem with this strategy. In the present case, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used to provide stable hemodynamic support before the delayed surgery. Awake ECMO was also used to avoiding the complications of sedatives and mechanical ventilation. Here, we describe a successful operation using awake ECMO as a bridge to surgery.

This article describes ventricular septal rupture in the acute phase of myocardial infarction after thrombolytic therapy. The peculiarity of this case is the lack of patient expressed pain and minimal manifestations of heart failure on the background specific to ventricular septal rupture ECG changes and echocardiographic data. To analyze the main factors giving the opportunity to assess the risk of this complication in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The clinical case demonstrates the success of the conservative management of patient with acute myocardial infarction complicated by early ventricular septal rupture.

The incidence of mechanical complications related to myocardial infarction has decreased due to various factors over the last few decades. Patients admitted for acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may respond well to thrombolytic therapy before being taken up for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention depending on the facilities available at the specific center. Unfortunately, some patients develop complications of myocardial infarction during hospital stay or postdischarge. We present a patient admitted with acute STEMI responding well to thrombolytic therapy. During transthoracic echocardiography of the patient in Intensive Care Unit, the patient developed ventricular septal rupture, right ventricular free wall rupture, hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade, and cardiogenic shock and expired.

We report the case of a 21-year-old woman who was referred after a severe compressive blunt trauma in the context of job injury. Myocardial contusion is a common injury; however, rupture of the ventricular septum after blunt chest trauma is a rare event. Echocardiography revealed a large ventricular septal rupture with two small ventricular septal defects. The patient was a candidate for surgical repair after early conservative management. We discuss about the prevalence and management of this rare traumatic complication.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a life-threatening emergency that can result in cardiac structural complications without timely revascularization. A retrospective study from the National Inpatient Sample included all patients with a diagnosis of STEMI between 2016 and 2020. Primary outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LoS), and healthcare costs for patients with and without structural complications. There were 994,300 hospital admissions included in the analysis (median age 64 years and 32.2% female). Structural complications occurred in 0.78% of patients. There was a three-fold increase in patients with cardiogenic shock (41.6% vs. 13.6%) and in-hospital mortality (30.6% vs. 10.7%) in the group with structural complications. The median LoS was longer (5 days vs. 3 days), and the median cost was significantly greater (USD 32,436 vs. USD 20,241) for patients with structural complications. After adjustments, in-hospital mortality was significantly greater for patients with structural complications (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.73-2.30), and both LoS and costs were greater. There was a significant increase in mortality with ruptured cardiac wall (OR 9.16, 95% CI 5.91-14.20), hemopericardium (OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.91-5.35), and ventricular septal rupture (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.98-3.35) compared with those with no complication. In conclusion, structural complications in STEMI patients are rare but potentially catastrophic events.

Background and Aims: Mechanical complications (MCs) are rare but potentially fatal sequelae of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Surgery, though challenging, is considered the treatment of choice. The authors sought to study early and long-term results of patients undergoing surgical treatment for post-AMI MCs., Methods: Patients undergone surgical treatment for post-infarction MCs between 2001 through 2019 in 27 centers worldwide were retrieved from the database of CAUTION study. In-hospital and long-term mortality were the primary outcomes. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine independent factors associated with overall mortality., Results: The study included 720 patients. The median age was 70.0 [62.0-77.0] years, with a male predominance (64.6%). The most common MC encountered was ventricular septal rupture (VSR) (59.4%). Cardiogenic shock was seen on presentation in 56.1% of patients. In-hospital mortality rate was 37.4%; in more than 50% of cases, the cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). Late mortality occurred in 133 patients, with a median follow-up of 4.4 [1.0-8.6] years. Overall survival at 1, 5 and 10 years was 54.0%, 48.1% and 41.0%, respectively. Older age (p < 0.001) and postoperative LCOS (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of overall mortality. For hospital survivors, 10-year survival was 65.7% and was significant higher for patients with VSR than those with papillary muscle rupture (long-rank P = 0.022)., Conclusions: Contemporary data from a multicenter cohort study show that surgical treatment for post-AMI MCs continues to be associated with high in-hospital mortality rates. However, long-term survival in patients surviving the immediate postoperative period is encouraging.Trial registration number: NCT03848429., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with a left-to-right shunt is extremely rare, requiring surgery if symptomatic; however, surgery has a high risk. Here, the case of a 77-year-old man with heart failure symptoms is reported, in which he develops a giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm 16 months after ventricular septal perforation repair as a result of acute myocardial infarction, with mild shunt blood flow from the pseudoaneurysm to the right ventricle. Intraoperative findings showed a free wall rupture along the area where the patch was secured during the initial surgery. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 13, and postoperative examination revealed no abnormalities., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by The Texas Heart Institute®.)

Objectives: Post-acute myocardial infarction mechanical complications (post-AMI MCs) represent rare but life-threatening conditions, including free-wall rupture, ventricular septal rupture and papillary muscle rupture. During the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, an overwhelming pressure on healthcare systems led to delayed and potentially suboptimal treatments for time-dependent conditions. As AMI-related hospitalizations decreased, limited information is available whether higher rates of post-AMI MCs and related deaths occurred in this setting. This study was aimed to assess how COVID-19 in Europe has impacted the incidence, treatment and outcome of MCs., Methods: The CAUTION-COVID19 study is a multicentre retrospective study collecting 175 patients with post-AMI MCs in 18 centres from 6 European countries, aimed to compare the incidence of such events, related patients' characteristics, and outcomes, between the first year of pandemic and the 2 previous years., Results: A non-significant increase in MCs was observed [odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85-1.57; P = 0.364], with stronger growth in ventricular septal rupture diagnoses (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.95-2.18; P = 0.090). No significant differences in treatment types and mortality were found between the 2 periods. In-hospital mortality was 50.9% and was higher for conservatively managed cases (90.9%) and lower for surgical patients (44.0%). Patients admitted during COVID-19 more frequently had late-presenting infarction (OR = 2.47, 95% CI 1.24-4.92; P = 0.010), more stable conditions (OR = 2.61, 95% CI 1.27-5.35; P = 0.009) and higher EuroSCORE II (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06; P = 0.006)., Conclusions: A non-significant increase in MCs incidence occurred during the first year of COVID-19, characterized by a significantly higher rate of late-presenting infarction, stable conditions and EuroSCORE-II if compared to pre-pandemic data, without affecting treatment and mortality., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Understanding the mechanisms behind changes in cardiac tissue has always been a topic of great interest. In recent years, biochemical, molecular, and genetic aspects have been studied. In this work, we investigated tissue properties from Computed Tomography images. We designed a densitometric profile and assessed its relations with age, gender, and pathological conditions such as ventricular septal defect/rupture and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We developed a novel workflow to segment cardiac tissue to extract 3D samples from regions of clinical interest on the left ventricle. The densitometric profile evaluates the average density, variability, and complexity of the Hounsfield distribution. To assess these relationships, we implemented a linear mixed model, taking into account the non-independence of the data due to repeated measurements of the same subjects within different regions. The results showed that gender is a discriminating factor in average cardiac tissue density, while there is no real relationship between age and absorption. The study, including the diseases, showed that the mean free wall density of the left ventricle changes in the presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. At the same time, there were no statistically significant changes between healthy subjects and patients with postinfarction septal rupture. Moreover, we employed machine learning technology to evaluate the densitometric profile's predictive power, finding peak amplitude and peak position as the most promising features. Finally, this work shows a novel methodology to study cardiac tissue non-invasive, potentially becoming a valid clinical assessment to support an earlystage diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There has been a shift in the paradigm of management of post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal rupture (MI VSR), with many authors reporting improved prognosis if the surgery can be "optimally delayed." Timing of the procedure is of critical importance and our management (UPMS), and prognosis scores (UPPS) have proven to be relevant. However, long-term outcomes and their correlation with our scores had not been analyzed. In this study, we present our long-term results of post-MI-VSR repair and their correlation with our prognosis score (UPPS). Methods: Seventy-one patients with post-MI VSR repair (2009–2017) were retrospectively studied. Patients were managed using standard institute protocols. Results: The 30-day mortality was 56% (n = 40). During a mean follow-up of 4.91 ± 2.43 years, there were eight late deaths. Actuarial survival of 30-day survivors was 87% at 1 year, 74% at 5 years, and 69% at 10 years. Actuarial freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was 82% at 1 year, 72% at 2 years, and 72% at 8 years. The UPPS score predicts late mortality with sensitivity of 75% and negative predictive value of 84%. Conclusion: Our prognostic score (UPPS) helps not only in predicting early mortality but also in identifying the patients who are likely to live longer. The management score (UPMS) also provides best timing for the procedure, which is helpful in optimal utilization of resources in the developing world. The accuracy of these scores is reasonable and may be helpful in the decision-making in this difficult subset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Right ventricular (RV) wall dissection following ventricular septal rupture related to inferior myocardial infarction (MI) is an extremely rare complication with a high mortality rate. We report the case of a 61-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital because of syncope and intermittent chest pain with a precordial murmur. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a rupture at the basal infero-posterior septum and RV free-wall dissection forming an echolucent cavity that extended beyond the septum and subsequently re-entered into RV chamber. The patient's overall cardiac and renal functions deteriorated and he died 24 days after the diagnosis. We present a literature review of the published cases of complex dissecting tracts through the septum and RV wall in ischemic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ventricular septal rupture is a rare but catastrophic complication of acute myocardial infarction. Although it has declined in incidence since the introduction of percutaneous coronary intervention, there hasn't been a significant change of mortality from the condition. In the chain of survival, prompt diagnosis and definitive surgery form the cardinal links. Prolonged medical management is not a feasible option as it is likely to be futile but the aim should be to reduce afterload with the help of intra‐aortic balloon pump or support with ventricular assist devices. Echocardiography sits at the heart of the diagnosis of this time critical condition and will guide accurate therapy and intervention. We present the first reported case from an Australian emergency department, where the echocardiography done by the emergency physician clinched the diagnosis. We emphasise here the paramountcy of emergency physicians being proficient in basic echocardiography to achieve rapid diagnosis. Once diagnosed it is critical to have an individual case‐tailored multi‐disciplinary discussion between emergency medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology and intensive care as to plan the optimal timing of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture (PI-VSR) is a rare but devastating complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Risk stratification in the acute phase is crucial for decision-making, and this study analyzed the risk factors for early mortality and the effects of various management options on the outcome of PI-VSR patients in the era of percutaneous intervention. Methods: A total of 96 patients with PI-VSR were identified and divided into an acute-phase survivor group (n = 46, survived ≥2 weeks after admission) and a nonsurvivor group (n = 50, died within 2 weeks after admission). Percutaneous closure was considered in acute-phase survivors. Patients were followed up for a mean 47 (quartiles 15–71) months by clinical visit or telephone interview. Results: The overall acute-phase (i.e., < 2 weeks after the diagnosis of PI-VSR) mortality rate was 52%. Female sex and Killip Class III–IV at admission were associated with an increased risk of acute-phase death. Of the 46 patients who survived ≥2 weeks, 20 underwent interventional occlusion and the procedure was successful in 19. Percutaneous closure in the acute-phase survivor group improved the immediate (21% in-hospital mortality rate) and long-term (53% mortality) outcomes. Conclusions: Patients with PI-VSR are at a high risk of acute-phase mortality. Female sex and severe cardiac dysfunction at admission are linked with a high rate of acute-phase deaths. Percutaneous closure in acute-phase survivors results in favorable short- and long-term benefits for PI-VSR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary atresia (PA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which the pulmonary blood flow is supplied by major aorta pulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs). The complete repair includes unifocalization of MAPCAs, closure of VSD, and placement of a right ventricle‐to‐pulmonary artery conduit. We report a case of VSD with PA, where the computed tomography and echocardiography images described a large single collateral artery arising from descending thoracic aorta dividing into left and right branches and supplying the entire pulmonary circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]