Assessment of left ventricular aneurysm resectability by two-dimensional echocardiography

Mortality from surgical resection of a left ventricular [LV] aneurysm is largely determined by the size and function of nonaneurysmal or residual myocardium. A residual myocardial index was determined using two dimensional echocardiography [2-D echo] in 16 consecutive patients scheduled for left ventricular aneurysmectomy, and these results were correlated with surgical outcome. Apart from only one exception, this echocardiographic index successfully seperated survivors from nonsurvivors. The lower limit to survive aneurysmectomy was 45%