Incidence of postinfarction aneurysm within one month of infarct - Experiences with sixteen patients in Hawaii

Background. We report on sixteen patients with a left ventricular aneurysm presenting at less than a month following myocardial infarction, Methods, All patients had significant left anterior descending coronary art ery disease, and in eight cases (50%), this was the only significant pathol ogy. Two patients who were treated conservatively, died within three months of infarction. Results. Of the fourteen surgically treated patients, one died. There have been two late deaths, one at ten months and the other at four years postinf arction. Patients who present early after infarction, usually have a large anterior aneurysm, requiring early surgical repair with ventricular aneurys mectomy and revascularization. This group of patients showed a higher risk for major complications (such as thrombo-embolism, arrhythmias) and/or deat h. Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery may prove beneficial in the pre vention of aneurysm formation by revascularizing the viable but ischemic ti ssue in that area.