Outcomes following surgical ventricular restoration in elderly patients with congestive heart failure

Despite the well described benefits of surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, the effects of advanced age on outcomes following this procedure have not been well documented. The authors compared outcomes in 69 consecutive patients 65 years and older (n=27) and younger than 65 years (n=42) to determine the utility of SVR in an elderly population with end-stage heart failure. Patients 65 years and older demonstrated significant improvements in ejection fraction (P=.01) and left ventricular end-systolic volume index (P=.07) following SVR, which were similar to the improvements seen in patients younger than 65 years. Sixty percent (15 of 25) of patients 65 years and older in preoperative New York Heart Association class III/IV improved to class I/II at follow-up (P<.0001). Actuarial survival was 68.8% at 2.5 years. Like their younger counterparts, elderly patients demonstrate significant improvements in ventricular function and NYHA class with acceptable survival following SVR.