Risk factors for the surgical repair of ventricular septal perforation; an 8-year multiinstitutional analysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the surgical outcomes and risk factors for surgical repair of the ventricular septal perforation (VSP). METHOD: From 1995 to 2003, 41 patients with VSP underwent surgical repair. There were 18 males and 23 females, with the mean age of 71.7 +/- 9.2. Sixteen patients (39.0%) had the preoperative shock, while 30 patients received intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) assistance and 1 of those required percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). Mean durations from onset of myocardial infarction and VSP to operation were 5.8 +/- 9.4 and 2.4 +/- 8.1 days, respectively. Twenty-six patients underwent infarct exclusion technique, 11 underwent patch closure, and 4 Daggett operation. Mean cardiopulmonary and aortic cross-clamp time were 211 +/- 85 and 105 +/- 43 minutes, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty days mortality was 11 (26.8%). Nine patients (22%) required PCPS after repair, however, 2 weaned off the support and only 1 discharged the hospital. Residual shunt was found in 12 patients (29.3%), and 4 underwent the reclosure of the residual shunt 13 +/- 8.6 days after the initial operation, whereas none of patients with PCPS had residual shunt. Univariate analysis revealed the preoperative shock (p = 0.03), longer cardiopulmonary bypass time (p < 0.01), and the need for PCPS after repair (p < 0.01) were the risk factors for the early mortality. Multivariate analysis indicated the cardiopulmonary time over 210 minutes and the need for PCPS to be the significant risk factors. CONCLUSION: The long cardiopulmonary bypass support after repair and the subsequent need for PCPS imply the poor left ventricular function. Since the residual shunt was not the cause of PCPS, the surgical outcome for VSP may be limited in patients with poor left ventricular function. In these patients, other therapeutic strategies may be required, such as ventricular assisting devices, transplantation, or regenerative therapy.