Impact of surgical ventricular reconstruction on stroke volume in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy

Although surgical ventricular reconstruction uniformly results in an impressive decrease in end-diastolic volume index and increase in ejection fraction, seemingly indicating beneficial remodeling and improved pump function, systolic volume index, which more directly indexes cardiac pump function, frequently decreases after surgical ventricular reconstruction. Further study is needed to identify baseline characteristics that predict those patients in whom cardiac performance is enhanced by surgical ventricular reconstruction and to clarify whether there is a beneficial impact on exercise tolerance and cardiac output at peak exercise.