Anterior wall left ventricular aneurysm repair. A comparison of linear versus circular closure

To determine the efficacy of ventricular closure techniques, we reviewed our experience with 62 patients who survived the repair of aneurysms of the anterior wall of the left ventricular from 1984 through 1989. Forty of these patients underwent aneurysm repair by standard linear closure and 22 by a circular closure technique. After a mean follow-up interval of 3 years, there were no demonstrable differences in angina class, New York Heart Association functional classification, or survival. In 41 surviving patients, postoperative left ventricular dimensions and function were satisfactorily evaluated by standard echocardiographic measurements. No significant differences were found in postoperative long-axis left ventricular systolic diameter or in short-axis systolic or diastolic areas. There was a significantly larger long-axis diastolic diameter in the circular closure group; however, there was no difference in this parameter when the ratios of postoperative to preoperative lengths were compared. Further intragroup comparisons demonstrated an increase in short-axis areas postoperatively within the circular closure group in contrast to a decrease in patients in the linear closure group; these changes were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in postoperative ejection fraction between the two closure groups, although minor reductions were found in the circular closure group. These data demonstrate no significant difference between the linear and circular closure techniques with respect to standard echocardiographic parameters, functional classification, and survival.