Perforation of the Interventricular Septum in Myocardial Infarction

Rupture of the interventricular septum occurring as a complication of myocardial infarction has been reported with increasing frequency. The condition, at one time thought to be rare, is not uncommon and is of prognostic importance. It is, however, less common than rupture of the ventricular wall, for in a series of 698 cases ofcoronary occlusion, 6 per cent suffered from this latter complication Prior to 1940 there were isolated reports of single cases, though Sager (1934) collected eighteen that had been reported, and Weber (1943) made a further review. Including the seven described here it is possible now to find reference to 113 cases.