[Possibilities and limitations of surgical therapy in acute and chronic heart failure]

Five out of the many scenarios for surgical interventions in manifest or imminent heart failure that are of special importance for the practitioner as well as the attending physician are covered. In the context of acute heart failure, mechanical complications of infarction and acute aortic insufficiency in the course of infectious endocarditis are discussed. In a second part, heart failure in chronic regurgitation of the aortic valve and chronic ischemic heart disease are treated. Main attention is given to medical indication for surgical intervention.