Support Device Restored Left Ventricular Shape : Patients with the device had greater quality-of-life improvements and fewer transplants than controls.

Many heart surgeons believe mitral valve surgery in itself induces reverse ventricular remodeling in HF patients, although this is as yet unproven. If the subanalysis shows the CSD augments the benefits obtained with mitral surgery alone, it will become extremely popular with surgeons.

“From a surgeon's point of view, a safe therapy—which this device clearly is—represents an ideal for an adjunctive procedure at the time you're already in the chest,” Dr. Rosengard explained.