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Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction on OR-Live

Join a live audience of surgeon-colleagues
in an interactive panel discussion.
February 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM EST

On February 13th, 2008 at 7:00 pm Eastern time, the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center presented a Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction panel discussion and procedure. This procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Michler, Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery on November 27th, with assistance from Dr. Rick Bello. During the discussion, viewers watch taped footage of the operation while the doctors describe the surgery. The doctors answer questions from the live audience as well as live email questions from the Internet.

SVR is a complex surgery that may be an option for patients with an enlarged heart and systolic heart failure. The surgery restores the heart to its normal shape and size and improves the ability of the heart to pump.

"We know that about 20-25% of patients after a heart attack will develop ventricular remodeling or an enlargement in the chamber size. Many of these patients will go on to develop severe gross enlargement of the heart, leading to the operation we performed," said Dr. Michler. "To perform a remodeling procedure, we delineate the area of the scar, place a patch in and over-sew the wall of the heart over the area of the patch."

Dr. Michler is one of the pioneers of the procedure and has successfully performed scores of SVRs over the last 7 years. SVR is one of many novel heart treatment options offered at the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center in an ongoing effort to provide the New York area and beyond with the most technologically advanced heart care. This was the Heart Center's third in a series of innovative OR-Live Internet presentations.

If you think SVR is right for you, contact Dr. Michler's office at 718-920-2100 or via e-mail at rmichler@montefiore.org to set up an evaluation.