Acute mechanical complications in patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction

Acute mechanical complications following acute myocardial infarction have an incidence less the 1% in the era post coronary and systemic thrombolysis. However, the early mortality is still high even after surgical therapy, reaching 70%. Left ventricle free wall rupture, ventricular septal defect and papillary muscle rupture represent the most challenging complications after myocardial infarction. Prompt diagnosis, appropriate medical therapy and mechanical support, such as intra-aortic balloon pump and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and urgent or emergency surgical operation may favor to obtain encouraging results and acceptable long-term outcome