Left Ventricular Reconstruction for Ischemic Heart Failure

Postinfarct ischemic cardiomyopathy is characterized by a variable degree of left ventricular (LV) dyssynergy secondary to dyskinetic and/or akinetic walls. Since 1984, we have surgically repaired such ventricles by inserting a patch inside the ventricle to exclude the nonresectable aki-netic/dyskinetic segments and reestablishing the preinfarct ventricular geometry. Left ventricular reconstruction (LVR) using an endoventricu-lar patch is an accepted and efficient technique to treat the dilated, hypocontractile ventricle of ischemic heart disease as both diastolic and systolic function are improved.