Ventricular containment as an adjunctive procedure in ischemic caridomyopathy: early results

Ventricular containment with custom-made polyester mesh is an evolving technique that has been studied in experimental animals with heart failure with good results.

Five patients with symptomatic heart failure and ischemic cardiomyopathy were enrolled in a Phase I study, and underwent ventricular containment with custom-made polyester mesh along with coronary artery bypass grafting. Four patients had additional ventricular reconstruction of large myocardial scars.

All patients were in NYHA functional class III at the time of their operation with a mean ejection fraction of 27.4%+/-6.6%. There were no deaths. Mean postoperative ejection fraction was 35.1%+/-12.6% (p = 0.16). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter fell from 63.2+/-1.6 mm preoperatively to 50.6+/-5 mm, postoperatively (p = 0.004). There was no evidence of diastolic dysfunction or pericardial constriction on intra- or postoperative echocardiography. At a mean follow-up of 180 days all patients were in NYHA class I with no readmissions for heart failure. Repeat coronary angiography at 6 months revealed patent grafts in all patients.

Ventricular containment with a customized mesh may be performed safely as an adjunct to conventional cardiac operation in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Longer follow-up with an expansion of the study will help delineate the long-term effects of this therapy.