[Surgical left ventricle reconstruction for treatment of heart failure]

Surgical ventricular reconstruction is an option for treatment of heart failure elicited by left ventricular aneurism. The aim of this study was to report the results of such treatment in our tertiary centre.

From January 2002 through October 2007 surgical ventricular restoration was performed in 26 patients (23 males) with a median age of 64 years (47-74 years). Twenty-one of the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV. The median preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was 27% (13-38%). We collected both pre- and postoperative data retrospectively.

Eighty-five percent of the patients received additional operative procedures, in most cases coronary artery bypass grafting. Ninety-six percent survived the follow-up period which had a median duration of 392 days (1-1777). At follow-up left ventricular ejection fraction had increased to 35% (18-53%) (p < 0.05) and 20 patients were in NYHA class I-II (p < 0.05).

Surgical left ventricular reconstruction is a feasible option for treatment of heart failure in patients with post myocardial infarction aneurisms. In selected patients this treatment carries a low mortality and results in improved left ventricular function and functional capacity.