Acquired ventricular septal defects. Evolution of an operation, surgical technique, and results.

The pathology and treatment of 19 patients with acquired ventricular septal defects (VSD's) secondary to myocardial infarction are presented. A new method of repair is described: suturing the free right ventricular wall against the VSD to support the friable septum on the right side in continuity with the patch on the left side of the septum. This removes the force of the left ventricle contraction from the patch and septum to the healthy right ventricle wall. Distal cardiac amputation was also used in several instances. The hospital survival rate was 64 per cent. The late functional and hemodynamic results were excellent.