The Batista Operation Procedure was developed by Brazilian surgeon Dr. Randas J. V. Batista, as a treatment for heart failure. Technically called as reduction left ventriculoplasty, the Batista operation is a procedure that was primarily developed for patients with dilated left ventricles and severe heart failure.
It is an open heart operation performed with the help of a heart-lung machine in order to maintain blood circulation while the heart is stopped. The essence of the procedure is to remove a block present in the left ventricle muscle and then stitch together the two edges of the left ventricle. By doing this, the size of the left ventricle is reduced, and the ventricle is remodelled as well. The Batista procedure was an experimental open heart surgery to reverse the effects of remodelling. This operation was carried on patients who were suffering from enlarged left ventricle because of which the blood was not being pumped efficiently. In the Batista procedure, an elliptical piece of living heart tissue is removed from the left ventricle. By doing this, the heart’s chamber is made smaller and thus it can contract more effectively to pump more blood.
Let us now discuss the procedure in detail. Initially, the aorta of the hollow heart patient is clamped. Then, with the help of a heart lung machine, the heart persists to function. Then after removal of the block in the left ventricle, the surgeon again closes the heart with the help of a few stitches. This process is done by surgeons with vast experience. However, after carefully completing with the stitches, the heart lung machine is then removed. The Batista procedure is used for patients whose heart muscles have been stretched or weakened by some disease, such as infection or inflammation which has led to congestive heart failure.
The Batista’s operation procedure has a high death rate of about 20 percent in the first post-operative month and 20 percent in the rest of the year making a total of about 40 percent. There were debates whether to continue the use of this procedure or not. Though, the Batista procedure seemed to show potential at first, it was later found to have little benefit and more risks which is why today, the Batista procedure is not a recommended treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy. Another reason for why this procedure is not used is that, suppose if the heart fails to respond to conventional therapy then, the patients will be at an even higher risks to suffer from severe heart failure.
