This document presents a retrospective study of 36 patients in Iraq who underwent surgery for left ventricular aneurysms caused by myocardial infarction over 12 years. Patch ventriculoplasty was the most common surgical technique used. Over 90% of patients also received myocardial revascularization. The study found that despite the small number of patients and low ejection fraction in most, the short-term outcomes were good and similar to international standards. The authors believe left ventricular aneurysm surgery should be combined with revascularization of the left anterior descending artery when possible.

1. Abdulsalam Taha
Jaffar Shehatha
Bassam Mahmud
Surgery for Left Ventricular
Aneurysm
Our Experience
Left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is a rare yet serious complication of
myocardial infarction. Though LVA occasionally occurs in congenital,
infective, connective tissue and traumatic heart disease, myocardial
infarction remains the most frequent cause. The main therapeutic option
for LVA is surgery; however, the best surgical technique (linear vs. patch
closure) is still controversial. This book presents a retrospective study of
thirty six true post myocardial infarction LVAs managed surgically in 3 Iraqi
cardiac surgical centers over 12 years with a literature review. Patch
ventriculoplasty was the most frequently employed technique while
myocardial revascularization rate exceeded 90%. The study is a preliminary
work on this disease in Iraq hopefully it would be followed by others with
longer follow-up. Despite the small number of patients and the low
ejection fraction in most of them, the short-term outcome was good and
close to the international standard. We share many other authors their
belief that reconstruction of LVA should be combined with myocardial
revascularization particularly in the presence of graftable left anterior
descending artery following repair.
Abdulsalam Taha
●Prof. Abulsalam Taha, MBChB,FICMS,Consultant
Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Slemani University, Iraq
●Mr.Jaffar Shehatha, MBChB, FICMS, AMC, FRCS,
FRACS, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Farouk
Medical city, Iraq, Adjunct Senior Researcher, School
of Surgery, Western Australia University ●Bassam
Mahmud, MBChB, Senior Registrar, Ibn-Albitar
Centre,Iraq
978-3-659-31269-4