Ventricular Aneurysm Following Myocardial Infarction

Cineradiographic examination appears to be the best method for the study of cardiac pulsations. Fifty consecutive patients, who had sustained transmural myocardial infarction at least six months previously, were studied by this technique. Thirty-six had some abnormality of pulsation and eight had dynamic ventricular aneurysm. Six of the eight had suffered severe infarct. Functional recovery in those with aneurysm was not as complete as in the rest of the group. Two made a poor functional recovery, two a fair recovery, and four a moderately good recovery. Clinically, there were no systemic emboli in the patients with dynamic aneurysms. Five of the 50 had persistent ST-segment elevation and “coving” of the T waves; three of these patients had aneurysms. There was no good correlation between the electrocardiographic site of the infarct and the site of the abnormal pulsation.