Left Ventricular Reconstruction
Overview and Facts about Left Ventricular Reconstruction
Left ventricular reconstruction is a surgical procedure used in the treatment of heart failure resulting from a heart attack in the heart’s left ventricle. The left ventricle is the lower left chamber of the heart responsible for pumping blood into the aorta, which is the artery that supplies the body with oxygenated blood.
When a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs, a scar forms in the ventricle. This scar tissue can, over time, cause the wall of the ventricle to weaken, leading to the development of an aneurysm. A left ventricular aneurysm is a bulging area of tissue that causes your heart to work harder to pump blood. The increased stress on your heart eventually leads to the enlargement and impaired pumping of the left ventricle.
Reconstructive surgery on the left ventricle restores the ventricle to its normal, healthy shape by removing the scar tissue and aneurysm. The procedure improves the ventricle’s ability to pump blood effectively, which, in turn, improves the symptoms of heart failure
Left ventricular reconstruction is often performed in coordination with procedures to correct additional heart damage, namely mitral valve leaks and narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.
What to Expect during Left Ventricular Reconstruction
Left ventricular reconstruction is an open heart procedure performed by a physician with advanced training and experience in cardiac surgery.
You will be comfortably sedated throughout the surgery and, because it is necessary to stop your heart while your ventricle is repaired, you will be placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. Known also as a heart-lung machine, cardiopulmonary bypass is a pump that circulates oxygenated blood throughout your body while your heart is at rest.
To begin, the surgeon will expose your heart with an incision down the middle of your chest. Once the aneurysm is located, scarred tissue is separated from healthy tissue with stitching around its border. In some cases, part of the scar is removed. The surgeon will then pull the stitches together, which is designed to effectively and permanently separate damaged tissue from healthy tissue.
Immediately following surgery, you will spend a day or more in the intensive care unit (ICU) and five to seven days total in the hospital. Your care team will monitor your recovery and show you how to continue your rehabilitation at home.
What are the Side Effects of Left Ventricular Reconstruction?
Side effects are to be expected following any open heart surgical procedure, including left ventricular reconstruction.
They typically begin to subside within four to six weeks. These after effects include:
- Appetite loss
- Chest, shoulder or back pain
- Constipation
- Discomfort or pain at the incision site
- Trouble sleeping
What are the Risks of Left Ventricular Reconstruction?
Left ventricular reconstruction carries the risk of complications. The development of post-surgery complications is not common, though your risk will vary depending on your overall health and the severity and extent of your heart damage or failure. Possible complications include:
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Damage to the tissue of the heart, kidneys, liver or lungs
- Heart attack
- Infection or inflammation
- Irregular heartbeat
- Stroke