New horizons on the surgical treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy

Batista procedure, also called reduction ventriculoplasty, is based on the physiological principle that reduction of the ventricular radius reduces both pressure and tension on the ventricular wall. As such, Laplace's law predicts that this will improve left ventricular function by decreasing myocardial oxygen consumption. The Batista operation has received a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and has been added to the surgical armamentarium to treat congestive heart failure. The reader will note the important contributions in this field as outlined in the articles by surgeons with a rich history of prior scientific endeavor.