Partial left ventriculectomy for the treatment of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective To report our initial experience of the first 5 cases of partial left ventriculectomy (PLV or Batista operation), a new surgical therapy for treatment of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy in China. Methods From April to August 1998, 5 patients with idiopathic dilated cardi omyopathy received PLV at Anzhen Hospital. The mean age of the patients was 48.4 years (range: 42 to 53 years). Three patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III and 2 in class IV, All patients had mitral val ve insufficiency (3 moderate and 2 severe) and 1 had severe tricuspid valve insufficiency in addition preoperatively. Cardiopulmonary bypass and cardi ac arrest with cold blood cardioplegia were used in all patients. The avera ge weight of the resected left ventricle muscle was 46.3 g. All patients un derwent mitral annuloplasty and 1 plus tricuspid annuloplasty (De Vega). Results Echocardiography demonstrated a significant decrease in left ventri cular diastolic diameter (8.4 +/- 1.1 cm to 5.4 +/- 0.4 cm, P < 0.01) and a n increase in ejection fraction (17.78% +/- 6.26% to 34.82% +/- 3.18%, P<0. 025). One patient died of heart failure on the 6th postoperative day. The m ean follow-up period of the 4 discharged patients were 4 months (from 3 to 6 months). One were in NYHA class I and 3 in class II; all had a normal lif e. Conclusion Batista operation is a new and valuable alternative of the surgi cal treatment for end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy and the long-term result s need further studies.