This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HEIMBECKER, R. O. Articles by CHEN, C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by HEIMBECKER, R. O. Articles by CHEN, C.

(Circulation. 1968;37:II-3.)
© 1968 American Heart Association, Inc.

---

Surgery for Massive Myocardial Infarction

An Experimental Study of Emergency Infarctectomy with a Preliminary Report on the Clinical Application

RAYMOND O. HEIMBECKER M.D.¹; GUY LEMIRE M.D.¹; CHARLES CHEN M.D.¹

¹ From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Emergency myocardial infarctectomy has been studied experimentally and clinically. The clinical experience describes encouraging results in two of four consecutive patients. The criteria of patient selection are described, along with a suggestion that associated perforation of the ventricular septum, as documented in three of the patients, makes the operative procedure more difficult and the results less satisfactory.

Experimental myocardial infarction was studied in two groups of calves with a mortality rate of 100%. In the first group emergency resuscitation by massage and bypass produced an initial resuscitation rate of 14% but a survival rate of only 11%. In the second control group of fatal infarction, resuscitation was attempted by 45 minutes of bypass, with improvement in the resuscitation rate to only 23% and proportionate improvement in the survival rate to 18%.

Emergency infarctectomy dramatically increased the initial salvage rate to 100% and improved the survival rate to 41%.