End-stage heart failure: is there a role for the Batista procedure?

BACKGROUND: Medically refractory heart failure is traditionally managed with cardiac transplantation although some limited success has also been obtained in selected patients using dynamic cardiomyoplasty or mechanical assist devices. Recently, a new surgical alternative called partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) was introduced by Batista in 1995. The procedure attempts to relieve symptoms of congestive failure by reducing myocardial mass and restoring the normal mass-to-volume ratio of the left ventricle. Despite initial enthusiasm, the results of PLV are not yet known. The aim of this study was to determine survival and clinical outcomes in a group of patients submitted to PLV as a means of surgical treatment for end stage heart disease (ESHD) METHODS: From November 1994 to December 1995, 15 patients with ESHD and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were operated on by the technique described by Randas Batista. We compared preoperative and postoperative assessments of NYHA Functional Class (FC), Quality of Life index (QOL), echocardiographic, ergometric, radioisotopic ventriculography and hemodynamic data at intervals of zero, one, three, six and nine, and twelve months postoperatively. Kaplan-Meier, student t-test and chi-square analysis were applied to the numerical and categoric variables. RESULTS: Survival was 80% at one month, 66% at three months, 53% at six months, 47% at nine months and 40% at one year. We also found that 6 of 7 patients (85%) with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) died compared to 4 of 8 patients (50%) without TR. This was the only risk factor indentified which influenced mortality. Post-operative echocardiographic evaluations demonstrated reduced left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters at six months (LVESD 65.5 +/- 8.3 mm preoperatively versus 56.83 +/- 5.74 mm at six months, p=0.007 and LVEDD 73.84 +/- 8.25 mm preoperatively versus 65.33 +/- 5.72 mm at six months, p=0.009). Survivors enjoyed an improved clinical status according to both the NYHA functional class (preoperative Class IV=100% versus postoperative at six months : Class IV = 50%, Class III = 17% and Class II = 33%) and the Quality of Life index (100% were in grade 6 and 7 preoperatively versus 0% at six months). However, statistical significance was not reached in most of these data due to the small number of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Actuarial survival in this series of patients was 53% at six months and 40% at twelve months with survivors showing fewer symptoms and clinical events than preoperatively (100% hospitalized preoperatively versus no patient hospitalized at six months). Therefore, the Batista Operation improves the quality of life patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and can possibly be a new means for bridging to cardiac transplantation in severely ill patients who are not likely to survive long enough to recieve a donor heart. Additional improvements in late results will likely be seen after further experience, evolution of the surgical techniques and better patient selection.