JATENE CORRECTION OF THE VENTRICULAR GEOMETRY IN POSTINFARCTION LEFT-VENTRICULAR ANEURYSM - RESULTS OF 62 OPERATIONS

Jatene correction of left ventricular aneurysm was performed on 62 pat ients (including 11 emergency operations) with mean age 60 years, 80% of them in NYHA class 3-4, with mean left ventricular ejection fractio n c. 30% and mean left ventricular end-diastolic pressure c. 24 mm. Co ncomitant bypass grafting was performed in 58 cases (mean grafts per p atient 3.7). Perioperative mortality was 12.9%. One patient had perope rative myocardial infarction. Postoperatively 13 patients had low card iac output, requiring intra-aortic balloon pump in seven cases. There were no bleeding problems and 28 patients (45%) had no postoperative c omplications. The average hospital stay was 10.2 days. Left ventricula r cavity size (echocardiography) showed significant reduction 1 week p ostoperatively, which was unchanged after 1 month. The left ventricula r ejection fraction was significantly increased 1 month postoperativel y. After follow-up averaging 15 months there was significant improveme nt in mean NYHA class. One patient underwent heart transplantation and died, but there were no other late deaths or cardiac-related complica tions. Jatene correction of left ventricular aneurysm is simple, carri es acceptable mortality and low morbidity and significantly improves l eft ventricular function.