The chest wall is opened to access the heart muscle. With the patient on a heart-lung bypass machine and the heart still beating, doctors locate and remove the areas of scar tissue. Sometimes the site can be closed with a tiny suture. Larger areas of scar require a patch. If necessary, bypass surgery or valve replacement can be done at the same time.
Reconstructive surgery increases the heart s pumping efficiency.
Patients often see an improvement in symptoms within six weeks of surgery. For those needing a transplant, the surgery may improve heart function enough to get them off the waiting list. Surgeons say the procedure doesn t bring the heart back to full capacity and patients still need to continue taking medications and follow their doctors advice on diet and exercise. The information on this factsheet is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your physician or with another healthcare professional. Speak with your doctor if you have questions about Heart Reconstruction, or any medical problem.