Surgical repair of scar tissue on the left ventricle

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The goal of left ventricular reconstructive surgery is to reduce the symptoms of heart failure, such as chest pain or aneurysms that form from the scar tissue. A surgeon removes the scar tissue and reshapes the ventricle so the heart can pump blood more effectively.

Our Advanced Heart Failure doctors work with the surgeons in our Cardiac Surgery Program to provide advanced treatment options for patients with heart failure. Our surgeons perform more than 2,000 cardiac procedures each year, giving us the experience to refine our techniques and improve patient outcomes.

What to expect during left ventricular reconstructive surgery

Your doctor will ask you to not eat or drink for 24 hours before surgery. You will have an IV inserted in your arm to deliver fluids and medications. In the operating room, you will be put under general anesthesia and have a temporary breathing tube placed in your throat.

The surgeon will make an incision in your chest, and you will be connected to a heart-lung bypass machine to oxygenate your blood while your heart is repaired. The surgeon will separate the scarred tissue from the rest of the heart and connect your healthy tissues together to improve blood flow.

If you need additional heart procedures as well, your surgeon may perform them at the same time to avoid having to open your chest twice. The most common procedures combined with left ventricular reconstruction are coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve repair.

The surgeon will then close your incisions, disconnect the heart-lung bypass machine and restart your heart. After surgery, you will be taken to the intensive care unit to recover for five to seven days. A cardiac rehabilitation specialist will work with you to help your heart recover from surgery.

Advanced Heart Failure Program

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Conditions

Left Ventricular Aneurysm

A left ventricular aneurysms is a bulge or ballooning in a weakened area of the left ventricular heart muscle often caused by a heart attack.

Tests

Angiogram (Angiography)

An angiogram is a special X-ray taken as a special dye is injected through a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to detect blockages or aneurysms in blood vessels.

Chest X-ray

Chest X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the structures inside the chest, including the lungs, heart and chest wall.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan

The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.

Heart Biopsy

In a heart biopsy, your doctor will remove small samples of your heart muscle tissue to monitor heart function or diagnose a problem.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic resonance imaging, better known as cardiac MRI, is a combination of radio waves, magnets and computer technology to create images of your heart and blood vessels.

Stress Tests

Stress tests are used to assess how your heart works during physical activity. There are several types of stress tests, including treadmill or bike stress tests, nuclear stress tests, stress echocardiograms and chemically induced stress tests.