Percutaneous closure of postinfarct muscular ventricular septal defects: a multicenter study in China.

BACKGROUND Surgical repair is an effective method to treat ventricular septal defect (VSD) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the mortality rate remains high. This study was designed to assess the immediate and mid-term results of transcatheter closure of postinfarct muscular VSDs. METHODS Data were retrospectively collected from 42 AMI patients who underwent attempted transcatheter VSD closure between 2008 and 2012 in seven heart centers of China. RESULTS Nine patients underwent emergent VSD closure in the acute phase (within two weeks from VSD) while the others underwent elective closure. The time between VSD occurrence and closure in emergency group and elective group was 7.7 ± 2.3 days and 35 ± 14.5 days, respectively (p<0.01). The percentage of procedure success in the emergency group and elective group was 77.8% (7/9) and 97% (32/33), respectively (p=0.048). The hospital mortality was higher for emergent closure in comparison to elective closure (66.7% vs. 6.1%, p<0.01). During a median follow-up of 25 months (0-58 months), two patients died at 8 and 29 months, respectively, and no serious complications occurred in other patients. CONCLUSION Interventional postinfarct VSD closure is a safe and effective approach that can be performed with a high procedural success rate, with favorable outcomes if it can be undertaken >14 days postinfarct.