Purpose: Little information related to the effects of surgical ventricular reconstruction on left ventricular diastolic function is available. The aims of this study were to examine the effects of surgical ventricular reconstruction on left ventricular diastolic function and assess the predictive significance of that function on clinical outcome in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy due to broad anteroseptal myocardial infarction undergoing surgical ventricular reconstruction.
Methods: We studied 21 patients undergoing surgical ventricular reconstruction and combined surgery for ischemic cardiomyopathy with a low ejection fraction (mean ejection fraction 23% +/- 6%). Doppler echocardiography was performed before and 6 +/- 4 months after the operation.
Results: There were no deaths within 30 days. Of the 21 patients, 6 reached the clinical endpoint (cardiac death or hospitalization due to congestive heart failure). The Doppler-derived restrictive filling pattern--defined as the deceleration time (DcT) <140 ms and the mitral peak early/mitral late diastolic filling velocity (E/A) ratio >1.5--was significantly related to reaching the clinical endpoint (P < 0.01). Furthermore, stepwise multivariate analysis showed that a preoperative restrictive filling pattern was the only independent predictor of reaching the clinical endpoint (P < 0.005, F = 11.2).
Conclusion: In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy undergoing surgical ventricular reconstruction and combined surgery, surgical ventricular reconstruction did not change the restrictive filling pattern, and the preoperative restrictive filling pattern was an important marker of postoperative clinical outcome.