They may need to have their diseased heart replaced with a new one. About 2,000 Americans each year undergo a heart transplant. The procedure has dramatically improved the survival and quality of life of people with severe congestive heart failure. Researchers continue to search for new and better ways to treat congestive heart failure. Heart pumps are used to keep heart transplant candidates alive while waiting for a donor heart.
Studies are ongoing to examine their role as an alternative to transplantation.
Heart reduction surgery. Called partial left ventriculectomy, this surgery involves removing a portion of an enlarged heart muscle and remodeling the heart to its near-normal size and shape. In theory, this should help a diseased heart pump more efficiently. Although initial results of this surgery were encouraging, the long-term outcomes appear less favorable. There seems to be a very limited role for this operation in people with congestive heart failure.