Long-term efficacy of transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect in combination with percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ventricular septal defect complicating acute myocardial infarction: a multicentre study.

Aims: To assess the immediate and long-term outcomes of transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) in combination with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with VSD complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and results: Data were prospectively collected from 35 AMI patients who underwent attempted transcatheter VSD closure and PCI therapy in five high-volume heart centres. All the patients who survived the procedures were followed up by chest x-ray, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. Thirteen patients underwent urgent VSD closure in the acute phase (within two weeks from VSD) while the others underwent elective closure at a median of 23 days from VSD occurrence. The percentage of VSD closure device success was 92.3% (36/39) and procedure success was 91.4% (32/35). The incidence of in-hospital mortality was 14.3% (5/35). At a median of 53 months follow-up, only two patients died at 38 and 41 months, respectively, and other patients’ cardiac function tested by echocardiography improved significantly compared to that evaluated before discharge.