SUBACUTE LEFT-VENTRICULAR FREE-WALL RUPTURE COMPLICATING ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION - SUCCESSFUL SURGICAL REPAIR WITH A SUTURELESS TECHNIQUE

The high mortality index related to surgical therapy with direct sutur e of rupture of left ventricular free wall following acute myocardial infarction, suggested we analyze and use alternative techniques, So me applied sutureless technique described by Padro to two patients. We u sed a Teflon patch fixed to the ventricular wall with a biocompatible synthetic glue, an ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate monomer, without any direct s uturing of the infarcted myocardium. The two patients survived the ope ration and were discharged from the hospital 12 and 14 days after surg ery, The sutureless technique allows, in our opinion, a more confident and safe aggressive attitude to subacute left ventricular free wall r upture.