[Mid-term results of cardiomyoplasty]

Cardiomyoplasty (CMP) is a technique of circulatory assistance using a pediculated latissimus dorsi muscle wrapped around the heart and electrically stimulated during systole. Sixty-four patients, aged 15 to 69 years (average 50.8 +/- 13 years) with cardiac failure underwent CMP between January 1985 and July 1993. The causes of cardiac failure were : ischaemic heart disease (39 cases), dilated cardiomyopathy (18 cases), cardiomyopathy following valvular heart disease (2 cases), cardiac tumours (4 cases) and congenital heart disease (1 case). Twenty-four patients underwent an associated surgical procedure. Intra and postoperative intra-aortic balloon pumping was required in 27 cases. Hospital mortality (before latissimus dorsi stimulation) was 20.3% (13/64 cases). Evaluation of the survivors 12 months after surgery showed an improvement in functional class (1.,5 versus 3.3 before CMP ; p < 0.05), in isotopic ejection fraction (27 +/- 3% versus 17 +/- 6%, p < 0.05) and cardiac index (2.87 +/- 0.63 l/min/m2 versus 2.38 +/- 0.41 l/min/m2, p < 0.05). There was no significant change in cardiac filling pressures. The number of hospital admissions for congestive cardiac failure in operated patients was 0.4 per patient per year, compared with 2.5 per patient per year (p < 0.05) before CMP. The preoperative predictive factors for late mortality were: permanent functional Class IV (NYHA), severe cardiac dilatation (cardio-thoracic ratio greater than 0.60; left ventricular end diastolic dimension > 75 mm), an isotopic left ventricular ejection fraction < 15%, severe biventricular cardiac failure and irreversible pulmonary hypertension. The actuarial 4 year survival rate was 68.3%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)