Surgical therapy for heart failure: care of the patient with partial left ventriculectomy

Partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) surgery has gained significant attention worldwide as a possible alternative to heart transplantation or as a therapy to treat heart failure. This procedure offers an attractive choice to patients and physicians because of the lack of need for immunosuppressive medications and a decrease in the risk of rejection associated with transplantation. PLV surgery is currently under investigation in several centers worldwide, but long-term outcomes have yet to be definitively evaluated. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation began performing PLV surgery in May 1996. Since that time, 57 patients have received the procedure with actuarial survival of 82% at 1 year. The purpose of this article is to highlight the clinical management of the postoperative PLV patient.