Interval Surgery for Unstable Traumatic Ventricular Septal Defect

Abstract

Blunt or penetrating thoracic wall trauma can lead to formation of a traumatic ventricular septal defect. This is a serious cardiac complication that can have dire hemodynamic consequences in a setting of ongoing hemorrhage. This demands urgent surgical repair to cease further deterioration. We describe a patient with traumatic VSD who underwent successful interval repair after management of acute abdomen and stabilization of hemodynamics using vasopressors and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP). Keywords: Traumatic VSD; patch repair; left ventricle