Background: Left ventricular partial ventriculectomy (LVPV), an unconventional operation to reverse some aspects of the cardiac remodeling, has been proposed for treatment of congestive heart failure.
Methods and results: Twenty-four patients (age 46+/-9 years) referred to heart transplantation underwent isolated LVPV or LVPV associated to valve annuloplasty. Patients were in New York Heart Association functional class IV (15) or III (9) due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Functional class, left and right ventricular ejection fraction (radionuclide), left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameter, and fractional shortening (by echocardiography), and hemodynamic variables were determined. The mean follow-up was 474+/-174 days. Survival at 30, 180, and 365 days was 92+/-6%, 67+/-10%, and 63+/-10%, respectively. Nine patients died, and the cause was associated with arrhythmias in 4 patients. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameters before and at 23+/-14 days, 188+/-27, and 365+/-14.8 days of follow-up were 82.6+/-9.8, 68.9+/-7.8, 69.9+/-6.9, and 70+/-5.3 mm, respectively (P=0.0001). The left ventricular end-systolic diameters were 73.5+/-7.4, 55.9+/-7.5, 57.4+/-7.8, and 55+/-5.5 mm (P=.0001). Fractional shortenings were 13+/-3, 19+/-4, 18+/-5, and 22+/-2%, respectively (P=.0001). The left ventricular ejection fractions before and 18+/-14, 188+/-26, and 369+/-3.6 days after the surgery were 17.2+/-4.7, 24.5+/-8.3, 24.5+/-7.4, and 23.7+/-6.1%, respectively (P=.004). The right ventricular ejection fractions were 20.5+/-6.2, 27.9+/-8.4, 28.2+/-10.1, and 27.4+/-7.3% (P=0.02). Pressures were unchanged. There was improvement in cardiac index from 2.11+/-0.52 to 2.53+/-0.64 L/min (P=.0037). Norepinephrine blood levels reduced from 702+/-258 to 439+/-307 pg/mL (P=.001). Most surviving patients presented improvement in functional class. Sustained ventricular tachycardias were observed in 9 patients (38%).
Conclusions: The left ventricular partial ventriculectomy may improve the left and right ventricular function, functional class, and cardiac output. These initial results were associated to high prevalence of sustained ventricular tachycardia. The ventriculectomy introduces the concept that reduction of left ventricular chamber diameter may improve cardiac function in heart failure. Further progress is necessary to improve the results and evaluate its proper role in the management of heart failure.