• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.211-214
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• 2017

Outcomes of ventricular septal rupture (VSR) as a complication of acute myocardial infarction are extremely poor, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 45% in surgically treated patients and 90% in patients managed with medication. Delaying surgery for VSR is a strategy for reducing mortality. However, hemodynamic instability is the main problem with this strategy. In the present case, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used to provide stable hemodynamic support before the delayed surgery. Awake ECMO was also used to avoiding the complications of sedatives and mechanical ventilation. Here, we describe a successful operation using awake ECMO as a bridge to surgery.