The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 49, 837-839, Copyright © 1990 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Surgery for ventricular arrhythmia
JM Moran
Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts, Worcester 01655.
Years of frustration of cardiac surgeons attempting to control intractable
ventricular arrhythmia finally ended when the team of Harken, Josephson,
and Horowitz performed electrophysiologically directed left ventricular
endocardial resection and reported their early results 10 years ago. The
scientific background for this breakthrough is reviewed and some subsequent
modifications of their procedure are described. The current status of
arrhythmia surgery since the advent of the automatic internal
cardioverter-defibrillator is described: the two methodologies are
complementary, not competitive.