Background: Recent advances in surgical techniques for the repair of left ventricular aneurysms (LVAs) include the use of an endoventricular patch to exclude the aneurysm cavity. This technique has replaced conventional linear plication of the aneurysm. The endoventricular patch technique remodels the left ventricular cavity to a more physiological geometry that improves function.
Methods and results: From December 1989 through November 1993, 45 patients underwent an LVA repair with an endoventricular patch. This procedure was performed in association with coronary artery bypass grafting in 40 patients. Twenty-eight patients (62.2%) also had nonguided encircling subendocardial incisions. Operative procedures included 7 emergency operations, 3 concomitant valve procedures, and a mean of 2.2 bypass grafts per patient. Eight patients had previous cardiac operations. Hospital mortality was 15.6% (7/45) for all patients and 9.1% (3/33) for nonemergent revascularization and LVA repairs. Ejection fraction improved from a mean of 25.8% preoperatively to 37.8% postoperatively; the mean New York Heart Association classification improved from 3.5 to 1.5. Of patients known to have preoperative arrhythmias (inducible or sudden death), 69% were not inducible postoperatively without antiarrhythmic medication. Survival from late cardiac death (including death of unknown origin) was 86.5% at 2 years. Freedom from documented ventricular arrhythmias was 94.3% at 2 years.
Conclusions: These results indicate that the patch endoaneurysmorrhaphy technique can provide an excellent functional and physiological outcome in patients with LVAs and severely impaired ventricular function.