Experiential assessment of endoventricular circular patch plasty in patients with depressed left ventricular function due to ischemia.

UNLABELLED: A concept of volume reduction surgery for patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy was introduced to the surgical aspect. We started consequently to employ this operation for patients with ischemic cadiomyopathy. Between October 1997 and April 1999, 14 patients (mean age 64 years; 12 men, 2 women) underwent endoventricular circular patch plasty (EVCPP) in our institute.

TECHNIQUE: The left ventricle (LV) is opened by placing an incision parallel to the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. An endocardial purse-string suture is placed circumferentially at the root of the posterior papillary muscle. The remaining opening of the cavity is closed with a circular bovine pericardial patch. The excluded edges of LV free wall and septum are directly closed with felt strips.

RESULTS: There were no significant hemodynamic differences in heart rate, cardiac index and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure before and after the operation. Either LV end-diastolic volume index (from 134.8 +/- 30.7 to 77.1 +/- 16.3 ml/m2) or LV end-systolic volume index (from 85.0 +/- 21.8 to 40.0 +/- 12.5 ml/m2) definitely reduced postoperatively, the LV ejection fraction (EF), consequently, significantly improved from 0.31 +/- 0. 09 to 0.48 +/- 0.10 (p=0.0007). In all patients the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class improved from 2.8 +/- 0.7 to 1.3 +/- 0.5 after operation. We will aggressively employ this procedure for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy in consideration of the limitations of the efficacy and the indication of this operation.