Left ventricular reduction surgery

Abstract

When medical therapy is unsuccessful in improving the functional class in patients with heart failure, surgical options must be considered. Although transplantation may be considered the gold standard, numerous factors limit the number of patients who can benefit from it. Therefore, other surgical methods have been devised as alternatives to transplantation. Left ventricular reduction by surgical resection of a piece of myocardium was introduced in Brazil a few years ago, and enthusiasm for the procedure is increasing because encouraging results have been published by various groups. It is hoped that this procedure will form part of the treatment for congestive heart failure in the future.