[Cardiomyoplasty. Critical review of experimental and clinical results]

Cardiomyoplasty (CMP) is a surgical therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy. In this procedure the "latissimus dorsi" is wrapped around the heart and chronically paced synchronously with ventricular systole. CMP has been performed in more than 500 cases worldwide, 42 cases in Italy, with variable degrees of success. Despite symptomatic improvement in the majority of patients surviving the procedure, objective hemodynamic effects have not been consistently demonstrated. The hemodynamic effect of CMP has been the subject of a great deal of experimental and clinical research over the past decade. This article discusses in detail the published results of experimental and clinical cardiomyoplasty, with particular emphasis on hemodynamic effects and limitations of the procedure.