Dynamic cardiomyoplasty as an effective therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy

Nine male patients with dilated cardiomyopathy unresponsive to maximal medical therapy were submitted to dynamic cardiomyoplasty according to the technique described by Carpentier and Chachques, and preliminary postoperative results are reported. Seven patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III and two were in intermittent Class IV. The mean age was 56 years (range 51 to 61 years). Preoperative ejection fraction (EF) by multiple gated acquisition ranged from 14% to 28% (mean 20.7%). No additional surgery was performed. Transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring was used during surgery to guide the wrapping procedure. There was no operative mortality. There was one early death (1 month). One late death (sudden death) occurred 7 months after surgery despite significant clinical improvement. Follow-up ranges from 2 to 16 months. Six patients were submitted to hemodynamic evaluation from 4 to 6 months after surgery by transthoracic and transesophageal echo-Doppler assessment. Effective latissimus dorsi support was clearly documented in all patients by comparing postoperative basal hemodynamic values (Cardiomyostimulator [Medtronic, Inc.] switched off) and data obtained during assisted beats (EF increased from 19.4% +/- 8.6% to 32.6% +/- 13.8%, p = 0.043; and stroke volume increased from 51.6 +/- 20.6 mL to 63.0 +/- 22.0 mL, p = 0.014). All patients who completed the latissimus dorsi training protocol were in NYHA Class I or II. A significant reduction in postoperative medical therapy was achieved in all patients. Our preliminary results confirm that the cardiomyoplasty procedure is to be considered a safe and valuable mean for treating selected patients with dilated cardiomyopathy refractory to maximal pharmacological treatment.