Left ventriculoplasty for nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Surgical treatment of nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy is a new field in cardiac surgery. Although current pharmacologic therapy has shown improved survival rates, many patients still need heart transplantation. To reduce the shortage of donors, there is a demanding need for effective nontransplant cardiac surgery. In the past 5 years, partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) has emerged with initial enthusiasm, but is not used because of high surgical mortality and late return of heart failure. There are several examples of improved clinical status and ventricular function with the procedure. By refining patient selection and surgical modification, ventriculoplasty will become a realistic option in the treatment of heart failure caused by nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company