Repair of leaking postinfarction ventricular septal defect under circulatory arrest via left thoracotomy

We treated a 60-year-old woman for postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) and closed it by the infarction exclusion method. Postoperatively sh e was com plicated by Candida sternal mediastinitis and residual shunt of V SD. After her sternal infection came under control we repaired the leaking VSD via left thoracotomy under hypothermic circulatory arrest. She recovere d well and repair of the leaking VSD under circulatory arrest via left thor acotomy seemed to be a safe and promising alternative for VSD repair.