Effect of partial left ventriculectomy on left and right ventricular volumes and function as assessed with electron beam tomography: preliminary results

Abstract.

Our objective was to determine if left ventricular reduction surgery affects left and right ventricular volumes and function. Twenty-three patients with end-stage heart failure underwent contrast-enhanced electron beam tomographic function studies before and twice after partial left ventriculectomy (PLV). The PLV was combined with other cardiosurgical procedures in 20 of 23 patients. Left and right ventricular enddiastolic volume (LVEDV, RVEDV), stroke volume (LVSV, RVSV), ejection fraction (LVEF, RVEF), and enddiastolic diameter (LVEDD, RVEDD) were determined by manual tracing of endo- and epicardial borders at enddiastole and endsystole. Patients were scanned 31 days (±34) before and 18 days (±13) and 8 months (±4) after PLV. Mean pre- and early and late postoperative values for LVEDV, LVSV, LVEF, and LVEDD were 387.9 ml (±125.5 ml), 255.6 ml (±79.3 ml; p<0.01), and 253.7 ml (±97.8 ml; p<0.05), 79.7 ml (±25.2 ml), 74.8 ml (±17.9; n.s.), and 79.1 ml (±26.5 ml; n.s.), 21.6% (±7.3%), 31.9% (±13.4%; p<0.05), and 34.1% (±14.1%; p<0.05), and 72.0 mm (±10.6 mm), 64.3 mm (±8.5 mm; p<0.05), and 63.5 mm (±9.4 mm; p<0.05), respectively. Mean pre- and postoperative values for RVEDV, RVSV, RVEF, and RVEDD were 177.7 ml (±72.8 ml), 172.4 ml (±59.2 ml; n.s.), and 178.9 ml (±60.8 ml; n.s.), 60.3 ml (±21.6 ml), 68.8 ml (±19.9 ml; n.s.), and 78.3 ml (±25.3 ml; n.s.), 38.1% (±15.4%), 43.7% (±16.3%; p<0.05), and 45.1% (±11.2%; n.s.), and 50.4 mm (±10.9 mm), 48.1 mm (±8.7 mm; n.s.), and 48.5 mm (±9.8 mm; n.s.), respectively. The PLV may induce a significant early reduction of left ventricular volumes and improvement of biventricular function; however, our results must be judged carefully as the majority of patients in this study underwent additional cardiosurgical procedures, the contributory effect of which on the overall outcome remains unclear.