Open AccessCase of ventricular septal rupture following acute myocardial infarction
Author(s) -
Natasha M. Amorosi,
Alison White
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.529
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1743-1344
pISSN - 1742-271X
DOI - 10.1177/1742271x20901850
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , myocardial infarction , complication , cardiac rupture , transthoracic echocardiogram , heart failure , heart rupture
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.