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PubMed1996

Pedicled pericardium for repair of right ventricular outflow tract and pulmonary arterial stenoses in tetralogy of Fallot: a six-year experience.

From June 1988 through June 1994, 20 children with symptomatic tetralogy of Fallot, associated with hypoplastic or stenotic pulmonary arteries in 19 cases, were operated on in our institution. Mean age at operation was 49.5 +/- 43 months (ranging from 10 months to 12.5 years). Mean weight was 13.5 +/- 6.5 kg (range 6.2 to 30 kg) and mean body surface area was 0.6 +/- 0.2 m2. Mean preoperative hematocrit value was 47.6% +/- 11.1%, and mean preoperative arterial oxygen saturation ratio was 75.7 +/- 9.5. Six patients (30%) had prior systemic-pulmonary arterial shunts. Pulmonary arterial stenoses were congenital or iatrogenic (or both) and were located principally on the left pulmonary artery (63%), on the pulmonary bifurcation (15%), or separately on the left and right pulmonary arteries (21%). In all children the pulmonary arterial tree was repaired with the patient's own pedicled pericardium. Mean follow-up is 36 +/- 25.2 months (range 1 to 71 months). Hospital mortality rate was 0%. There was one late death, and two children were lost to long-term follow-up. No child required reoperation. Seventeen children returned for evaluation, consisting of physical examination, electrocardiogram, chest roentgenogram, and Doppler echocardiogram, and 11 underwent late catheterization or magnetic resonance imaging of the chest to evaluate the pulmonary arterial repair. All children were in New York Heart Association class I or II. Right ventricular function was normal by echocardiography in 100% with a mean right ventricular systolic pressure of 39.37 +/- 8.4 mm Hg. Mild to moderate pulmonary regurgitation was present in the majority of patients. The results of pulmonary arterial repair were good in 100%. There was no residual stenosis, and we observed uniform enlargement of the repaired pulmonary arteries over a 5-month to 6-year follow-up period. These results are of particular interest inasmuch as other materials previously used for repair of pulmonary arteries do not grow and may even shrink, resulting in residual stenosis.

Body Surface Area↗

PubMed2000

Changes in left and right ventricular cardiac function after valve replacement for aortic stenosis determined by cine MR imaging.

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in function of both the left and the right ventricles (LV, RV) before and after aortic valve replacement (AVR), compared with age-matched healthy volunteers using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Fourteen patients with aortic stenosis underwent MR imaging (1.5 T) before and 3 (n = 14) and 12 (n = 9) months after surgical valve replacement. An electrocardiographically triggered two-dimensional cine fast low-angle shot sequence was used for the evaluation of absolute values and indices related to 1 m(2) body surface area for function, mass, and LV wall thickening. Fourteen age-matched healthy volunteers served as controls. Before surgery, all patients showed significant abnormalities of LV mass and function, whereas RV mass and function were not different from those of volunteers and remained mostly unchanged. After surgery, normalization of LV ejection fraction, absolute mass, and end-systolic wall thickness was observed, whereas the LV mass index failed to normalize, and LV volumes remained elevated. Aortic stenosis combined with a significant, but not severe reduction in LV function only affects the LV, whereas the RV remains unaffected at this stage of disease. AVR leads to improved LV function and reduced hypertrophy, but without normalization of LV volumes or the LV mass index within 1 year.

Aged↗

PubMed1987

[Preoperative clinical and hemodynamic characteristics of patients with mitral valve defects subjected to valve prosthesis].

Sixty one patients were studied that were subjected to mitral valvular prosthesis--28 patients with pure or prevailing mitral stenosis, 12 with pure or prevailing mitral insufficiency and 21 patients with degree competitive stenosis and insufficiency. The patients, to have mitral valvular prosthesis, undergo the operation, most often, in the presence of pronounced pulmonary capillary and arterial hypertension and preserved right-ventricular and left-ventricular function. The pulmonary hypertension is with the highest values in the patients with mitral stenosis leading. In the patients with leading stenosis, passes of compromised right-ventricular function could be established. The cases with disturbed left-ventricular function are from the groups with prevailing mitral insufficiency or competitive stenosis and insufficiency. The time for mitral valvular prosthesis should be selected so as not to allow the manifestation of bilateral cardiac insufficiency as well as the formation of essential pulmonary disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Factors affecting the postoperative exercise capacity of patients with mitral stenosis and aortic regurgitation.

Factors affecting the exercise capacity of patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and aortic regurgitation (AR) are incompletely understood. Accordingly, exercise capacity was assessed in 13 patients with MS and in 13 with AR by means of cardiopulmonary exercise testing before as well as 3, 6 and 12 months after valve replacement. Left- and right-ventricular function were evaluated echocardiographically. Both in MS and in AR exercise capacity expressed by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) increased significantly after valve replacement and was directly related to right ventricular (RV) function assessed by the ratio of RV acceleration time to RV ejection time (r = 0.87, p < 0.001 and r = 0.74, p < 0.001, respectively) and inversely related to left atrial diameter (r = -0.72, p < 0.001 and r = -0.76, p < 0.001, respectively). No relation between VO2max and resting left-ventricular function was found. Thus, the postoperative improvement in the exercise capacity both in mitral stenosis and in aortic regurgitation is associated with an improvement in right-ventricular function and a decrease in left-atrial size.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Right heart catheterization in rats with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.

Using a special Millar ultraminiature catheter pressure transducer, right ventricular functional parameters were measured in anesthetized, closed-chest rats under control conditions, during acute pulmonary hypertension and after induction of right ventricular hypertrophy. Acute i.v. infusion of noradrenaline and a brief period of hypoxia in female Sprague-Dawley rats elicited a marked increase in right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and in the maximal rate of rise in right ventricular pressure (RV dp/dtmax). After 3 and 16 days of daily administrations of triiodothyronine in female Sprague-Dawley rats, all right ventricular hemodynamic parameters were enhanced along with the increase in left ventricular function. The right and left ventricles were hypertrophied, and cardiac output was increased. After 40 and 45 days subsequent to bilateral thorax irradiation of male Brown-Norway rats, RVSP and RV dp/dtmax were increased, the right ventricle was hypertrophied, while the left ventricle did not exhibit appreciable hemodynamic or morphologic alterations. Cardiac output was depressed. Thus, these two experimental models differ considerably as to the mechanism and time course of the development of right ventricular hypertrophy as well as to the participation of the left ventricle and the involvement of volume overload.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Experimental Right Atrial Ischemia and Its Response to Stimulation with Dobutamine.

In order to analyze the repercussion of experimental isolated selected right atrial ischemia on the hemodynamics of both ventricles, we investigated the response of atrial myocardium with administration of dobutamine and evaluated the utility of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with Doppler in the examination of alterations produced by atrial ischemia. Ten dogs were studied with normal, diminished, and increased cardiac output with ligation of the visible atrial branches of the right coronary artery. Right atrial wall movement and peak A wave velocity of tricuspid flow registered by TEE decreased (P < 0.05). The amplitude of the right atrial A wave decreased in hemodynamic recordings (P < 0.05). No significant modifications occurred in right ventricular wall movement nor in pressures registered in right or left ventricles or cardiac output. Seventy-five minutes after atrial ischemia was induced dobutamine was administered. In dogs with incomplete ligations of atrial circulation, right atrial wall movement improved (P < 0.001), and the amplitude of the peak A wave velocity of tricuspid flow increased. In dogs with complete coronary ligation, administration of the medication produced no improvement of these variables. The findings indicate that it is possible to produce selective right atrial ischemia manifested by diminished wall movement, a diminished atrial component of tricuspid flow in TEE, and decreased amplitude of the A wave in atrial pressure recordings. The localized hemodynamic changes produced by right atrial ischemia are not related to variations in venous return when right ventricular function is normal. Apparently isolated right atrial damage from ischemia does not affect ventricular function if these remain healthy. The recuperation of atrial contractility can be demonstrated with dobutamine. Transesophageal echocardiography is a very useful technique for studying right atrial ischemia and infarction.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Different responses of left ventricular systolic function to changes in right ventricular volume and shortening--comparison between aorto-femoral vein and aorto-left atrium shunts in dog hearts.

It has been reported that left ventricular end-systolic volume decreases during arteriovenous shunt and increases during subclavian artery-left atrium shunt at a constant end-systolic pressure. The mechanism of the opposing changes in end-systolic volume during the two types of shunt is not clear. One possible cause is that left ventricular pump function with enhanced right ventricular ejection differs from that without enhancement. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied the two types of shunt (Aorto-femoral vein shunt, AoFV; aorto-left atrium shunt, AoLA) with matched reduction of systemic vascular resistance in open-chest dogs with beta-blockade. Both right and left ventricular volumes and shortenings were assessed from short-axis views by two-dimensional (2D)-echocardiogram. Left ventricular end-systolic short-axis area decreased from 76 +/- 3 to 62 +/- 3% in AoFV shunt (p less than 0.05), but tended to increase in AoLA shunt (76 +/- 4 in control state vs 81 +/- 5% in AoLA, NS) in spite of a similar reduction in left ventricular end-systolic pressure. There was no difference in left ventricular shortening, but significant differences were observed in right ventricular shortening (50 +/- 8 in AoFV vs 24 +/- 7% in AoLA, p less than 0.05) and right ventricular short-axis area at end-diastole (142 +/- 6 in AoFV vs 96 +/- 3% in AoLA, p less than 0.01), and at end-systole (92 +/- 8 in AoFV vs 73 +/- 7% in AoLA, p less than 0.05) between the two types of shunt. We conclude that the different changes in left ventricular end-systolic short-axis area found in the two shunts are not caused by the different left ventricular shortenings, but by the different right ventricular mechanical actions. These findings suggest that left ventricular pumping action in the high output state changes, depending on whether it is accompanied by augmented ejection of the right ventricle or not.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessment of the functional status of the left and right ventricles in the intact and damaged heart during volume overload].

Changes in hemodynamics, reserve capacities of intact and damaged myocardium have been studied, with the left and right ventricular functions during mounting volume load assessed separately. It has been shown that exclusion of the part of left ventricular myocardium from contraction deteriorated considerably the pump and contractile function not only of the left but also of the right intact heart ventricle. Heart failure in volume overload manifests itself primarily in the right ventricle and depends on the functional heart reverse on the whole: in animals with partial injury of left ventricular myocardium heart failure developed in much lower volume loads than in intact animals. In circulation volume overload, left or right ventricular stroke work index to preload or filling pressure in the corresponding heart chamber ratio was most adequate and prognostically valuable for the detection of latent heart failure.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Management of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.

Infants with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum pose a difficult clinical problem. Pulmonary valvotomy has been widely recommended for relief of the right ventricular obstruction, and most infants also have had an aortopulmonary shunt placed to ensure pulmonary blood flow. We have evolved a different approach that includes placement of a right ventricular outflow tract patch initially and continuation of prostaglandin E1 infusion postoperatively until the need for a shunt can be determined. We report here our management of 15 neonates with this diagnosis and suprasystemic right ventricular pressures. All of the infants were placed on a regimen of prostaglandin E1 before the operation to improve pulmonary blood flow, and all had an outflow patch placed early in life. Satisfactory postoperative right ventricular function, which would allow both outflow patching and ductus ligation, could be confidently predicted in only two of the 15 patients. For nine of the 15 an outflow patch was placed and prostaglandin was infused postoperatively to provide pulmonary blood flow until right ventricular function became adequate. Early in the series, three other infants were judged to need an aortopulmonary shunt in addition to decompression by an outflow patch, and one infant had only a shunt placed. Postoperatively, adequate pulmonary blood flow was present in all, and 11 of the 15 (73%) survived. Three of the deaths (average 2.8 days) after the outflow patch operation probably resulted from premature cessation of the prostaglandin infusion. One neonate with an outflow patch and a shunt died of myocardial ischemia because of coronary artery steal through right ventricular sinusoids. One late death occurred suddenly in the child with only a shunt, presumably because of an arrhythmia. The remaining survivors (10/15, 67%) are alive and have had complete repair. Study of these patients has also revealed that the definition of adequate right ventricular size needs to be more liberal. Five of the 10 surviving patients had a residual atrial septal defect with a right-to-left shunt at the ages of 1 to 3 years, but balloon occlusion of the atrial septal defect during cardiac catheterization revealed that the right ventricle in these patients was functionally adequate. These five children subsequently underwent closure of the atrial septal defect, and in two the aortopulmonary shunt was also taken down. In summary, correction was achieved in all survivors, in contrast to reported studies in which many patients are living with shunts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Angiography↗

PubMed2000

[Safety and clinical efficiency of long-term complete blockade of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].

AIM: To study a corrective influence of a complete blockade of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) on right ventricular failure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 91 COPD patients were randomised into 3 groups who received standard therapy (ST), ST + losartan, ST + losartan + aldactone. The duration of the follow-up was 24 months. RESULTS: A complete RAAS blockade produced a significant decline in the pressure in the pulmonary artery, improved diastolic and systolic right ventricular function. This led to decreased number of hospitalizations because of progressing right ventricular failure. CONCLUSION: Safety of therapy with ACE inhibitor and aldactone was proved by a comparison of the number of side effects in the three groups.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Can right ventricular performance be assessed by equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography?

Although right ventricular function may be examined by following the passage (first pass) of a bolus of radionuclide through the right heart before it reaches the left heart, the counts detected with conventional gamma cameras in such a short time interval are low; moreover, repeated determinations would result in an unacceptable radiation burden to the patient. We have modified the gated equilibrium blood pool method to allow repeated assessment of the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and have compared the results with the first-pass method in 43 patients. Good agreement was obtained between the two methods (r = 0.91, p less than 0.001). The mean difference between the two methods was 0.04 with an intra-observer variation for the equilibrium studies of 0.03 and an inter-observer difference of 0.04. The mean difference in RVEF for seven patients studied on two separate occasions 30 minutes apart was only 0.02. In four patients the mean RVEF measured at rest was 0.44 +/- 0.05 (SEM) and after exercise it was 0.48 +/- 0.06. After infusion of isoprenaline at 1 microgram/min the mean rose to 0.64 +/- 0.04 (p less than 0.02) and after infusion of a new beta 1-sympathomimetic agent, prenalterol, at doses of 1 and 2 mg it was 0.56 +/- 0.02 (p less than 0.02) and 0.59 +/- 0.03 (p less than 0.01) respectively, where the significance levels are relative to the resting values. In nine patients with good ventricular function the vasodilator nifedipine caused right and left ventricular ejection fractions to increase by the same amount; while in six patients with severe impairment of left ventricular function due to ischaemic heart disease the RVEF increased from 0.58 +/- 0.03 to 0.73 +/- 0.03 (p less than 0.01) after 2 mg of prenalterol, but the left ventricular ejection fraction increased only from 0.22 +/- 0.04 to 0.26 +/- 0.04. We conclude that repeated estimation of right ventricular performance is possible by equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed1989

Studies of retrograde cardioplegia. II. Advantages of antegrade/retrograde cardioplegia to optimize distribution in jeopardized myocardium.

This study tests the hypothesis that retrograde/antegrade cardioplegic delivery can overcome the limitations of poor cardioplegic distribution resulting from either technique alone and, potentially, may expand the safety of using internal mammary artery grafts in cardiac muscle in jeopardy of inadequate cardioplegic protection. Jeopardized myocardium was produced in 20 dogs by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 15 minutes before starting cardiopulmonary bypass and by 1 hour of aortic clamping with multidose 6 degrees C cold blood cardioplegia. Five dogs received antegrade cardioplegia via the aortic root. Ten dogs received retrograde cardioplegia via the coronary sinus. Five additional dogs received retrograde/antegrade cardioplegia via both routes. The ligature on the left anterior descending coronary artery was removed after aortic unclamping, and regional myocardial temperature (thermistor probe), segmental shortening (ultrasonic crystals), and global left ventricular and right ventricular myocardial function were evaluated. Antegrade cardioplegia produced excellent right ventricular cooling (14 degrees C) and allowed complete right ventricular functional recovery. However, it failed to cool muscle supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery (only 31 degrees versus 12 degrees C, p less than 0.05), postischemic global left ventricular function recovered only 38% (p less than 0.05), and segmental shortening in the region supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery recovered only 22% (p less than 0.05). Retrograde cardioplegia produced homogeneous cooling (17 degrees C) and allowed near normal recovery of global and regional left ventricular function (99% and 86%), but right ventricular cooling was variable (19 degrees to 30 degrees C) and right ventricular function recovered inconstantly (range 64% to 100%, average 82%). The best myocardial protection occurred after retrograde/antegrade cardioplegia; myocardial cooling was homogeneous, left ventricular and right ventricular global function recovered completely (95% and 90%), and regional contractility in muscle supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery returned to 84% of control. We conclude that retrograde/antegrade cardioplegia provides better myocardial protection than either technique alone, ensures good cardioplegic distribution to the left and right ventricles, and allows regional delivery of cardioplegic flow to segments supplied by occluded arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Right ventricular dysfunction and dilatation, similar to left ventricular changes, characterize the cardiac depression of septic shock in humans.

Septic shock in humans is usually characterized by a high cardiac output, a low systemic vascular resistance, reversible depression of left ventricular ejection fraction, and transient left ventricular dilatation. The relationship of left ventricular to right ventricular function in septic shock is poorly understood. To evaluate right ventricular vs left ventricular performance and to evaluate the relation of biventricular performance to survival, we performed serial hemodynamic and radionuclide angiographic studies in 39 patients with septic shock. Right ventricular ejection fraction was calculated using the two regions of interest method. There were 22 survivors and 17 nonsurvivors. Comparing initial with final (after recovery for survivors; within 24 hours of death for nonsurvivors) studies, each survivor's cardiovascular performance returned toward normal, with significant increases in mean arterial pressure, left and right ventricular ejection fraction, and right ventricular stroke work index. Their profiles also demonstrated significant decreases in central venous pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, pulmonary artery mean pressure, and left and right ventricular end-diastolic volume indices. From initial to final study in the nonsurvivors, there was a statistically significant increase in heart rate but no change in any other cardiovascular parameter, indicating a persistence of the initial cardiovascular dysfunction until death. Comparing serial studies, the pattern of change in right vs left ventricular function was very similar (same direction in 82 percent of patients). Thus, myocardial depression in human septic shock affects both ventricles simultaneously with a similar pattern of dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical results after total transatrial/transpulmonary correction of tetralogy of Fallot.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot is associated with low early morbidity and mortality. However, there may be late morbidity and mortality due to right ventricular dysfunction. The transatrial/transpulmonary technique may ameliorate these long-term complications. Here we present the results from our use of this approach. METHODS: A hundred sixty-three consecutive patients (age 6 months to 45 years, median 1.5 years) underwent transatrial/transpulmonary total correction in our department. In 142 patients the main pulmonary artery was augmented by an autologous pericardial patch, in 31 cases the arterioplasty was extended to the pulmonary artery branches, and pulmonary artery valvuloplasty was needed in 129 patients. A monocusp autologous pericardial valve mechanism was inserted in 14 patients. RESULTS: Patient follow up was 100% complete with a median duration of 3.05 years. There were no deaths. One patient required early reoperation to relieve residual right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction. Median ICU and hospital stay were 3 and 11 days, respectively. At hospital discharge RVOT gradient was 13.7 +/- 13 (median 10) mmHg, while most patients (94%) had up to moderate pulmonary valve insufficiency (1 + in 63.8%, 2+ in 30.6%), and normal (92.6%) or mildly reduced (6.1%) right ventricular function. In 81% some degree of tricuspid regurgitation was noted. One patient required late reoperation for mitral valve repair. All patients are in NYHA class I or II. The degree of pulmonary valve insufficiency remains stable (69.9% with 0-1 + and 24.5% up to 2+). Likewise, tricuspid valve function remains unchanged (96% of the patients had mild or up to moderate regurgitation). There was no significant RVOT obstruction and in most patients (93.2%) right ventricular function was normal. CONCLUSION: These results compare very favorably to those reported in the literature. The medium-term findings auger well for future adverse event rates, but long-term follow up is still necessary to confirm them.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Right ventricular performance in arterial hypertension.

To investigate right ventricular function, 24 patients with arterial hypertension and five normotensive controls underwent equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography with simultaneous right heart catheterization. In normal subjects, left ventricular ejection fraction was 57 +/- 2% at rest and 71 +/- 5% on effort, and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) averaged 51 +/- 5% at rest and 65 +/- 2% during exercise. Pulmonary vessel resistance (PVR) was 56 +/- 37 dyn.s.cm-5 at rest and 46 +/- 10 dyn.s.cm-5 on effort. Hypertensive patients were divided into three groups according to their left ventricular function: group 1 (n = 10) had normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at rest and on effort (57 +/- 9%; 65 +/- 6%), in this group, right ventricular systolic reserve was reduced (RVEF 52 +/- 7% at rest, ns; RVEF 57 +/- 7% on effort, P less than 0.01 compared to controls). Pulmonary vessel resistance during exercise averaged 78 +/- 24 dyn.s.cm-5, which was significantly higher compared to controls (P less than 0.01). In group 2, left ventricular contractions were normal at rest (60 +/- 6%, ns) but deteriorated during exercise to 56 +/- 8% (P less than 0.001, compared to controls). These patients also showed a lack of right ventricular augmentation at ejection fraction (54 +/- 8% at rest, ns; 56 +/- 8% under exercise, P less than 0.05). PVR was significantly enhanced during exercise (88 +/- 40 dyn.s.cm-5, P less than 0.05 compared to controls).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

On-line automated border detection for echocardiographic quantification of right ventricular size and function in children.

Rapid, accurate assessment of right ventricular (RV) size is important for the management of children with congenital heart disease. The usefulness of the Acoustic Quantification system of automated border detection (ABD) and on-line quantification (AQ) for assessment of RV size was tested in 36 children. AQ data were compared to "corrected AQ" measurements (after correction for cavity areas erroneously included in the region of interest) required for AQ. Furthermore, the influence of necessary changes to gain settings was tested in "lateral gain control" (LGC) images obtained by removal of ABD overlays. All results were compared to conventional echocardiography (echo), and agreement with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) RV areas was assessed. Systematic differences (+/-) limits of agreement with MRI (transverse plane) for conventional echo and AQ (apical four-chamber view) were as follows: end-diastolic -0.8 +/- 3.8 (conventional echo) versus -1.7 +/- 4.6 (AQ) cm2/m2 (p < 0.001); end-systolic -1.3 +/- 3.2 versus -4.9 +/- 5.8 (AQ) cm2/m2 (p < 0.001); fractional area change 7.8 +/- 17.0% versus 26.9 +/- 31.4% (AQ) (p < 0.001). Differences between conventional echo, LGC, and corrected AQ areas were not statistically significant. The best agreement between MRI and echocardiography was with conventional echo. We conclude that automated border detection of the RV can be performed successfully with the AQ system at a fixed point in the cardiac cycle. For adequate assessment of RV function manual corrections of online AQ results are still required, which results in an important reduction of the time gain of on-line quantification.

Child↗

PubMed1991

[2-dimensional echocardiography in the evaluation of right ventricular volume and function. Comparison with echocardiography].

Using two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO), the authors examined within one week preceding right-sided catheterization of the right ventricle (RV) 44 patients. Of three tested ECHO techniques for calculation of right ventricular volumes and/or function the best correlations were obtained by the method of evaluation of area-length of the right ventricle from two orthogonal projections (apical 4-cavity and subcostal with visualization of the outflow portion of the RV). The following correlations were assessed: telediastolic volume--r = 0.831, telesystolic volume--r = 0.815 stroke volume--r = 0.810 and ejection fraction (EF)--r = 0.752 (p less than 0.001 for all correlations). The tested method enables us at the same time to screen at least existing right ventricular dysfunction (sensitivity 0.68; specificity 0.82). In the presence of tricuspidal insufficiency (TI) increase in right ventricular function occurs which may mask its existing failure (dependence of EF on the mean pressure level in pulmonary artery was proved only in patients without TI--r = 0.594). We assume that information on right ventricular function is important not only in diseases affecting primarily the right heart but also in advanced stages of left-sided failure. Follow-up of the natural course of the disease and the effect of provided treatment by the non-invasive ECHO method is thus useful not only in research but also in clinical practice.

Cardiac Volume↗

PubMed2005

Biventricular assist device-induced right ventricular reverse structural and functional remodeling.

BACKGROUND: Support with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) induces LV reverse structural and functional remodeling, evidenced by normalization of passive end-diastolic pressure-volume relationships (EDPVRs) and cardiomyocyte function. These changes are not evident in the right ventricle (RV), which remains dilated during LVAD support. However, studies on whether RV reverse remodeling could be induced by RV or biventricular assist support (BiVAD) have not been published. METHODS: Whole hearts from 16 patients with end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) at the time of cardiac transplantation without LVAD support, 16 patients with LVAD support, and 3 patients with BiVAD support were used to study RV EDPVRs, with estimation of chamber stiffness. Perfused isolated myocardial trabeculae were used for functional studies. Furthermore, RV free wall samples were used for histology and collagen determination by hydroxyproline. RESULTS: The RV size, calculated from the ex vivo RV EDPVRs, RV mass, and myocyte diameter were significantly smaller in BiVAD-supported hearts than in non-supported or LVAD-supported hearts (p < 0.05) and reached normal levels. Furthermore, cardiomyocyte function demonstrated a normalized response to increased stimulation frequency and after perfusion with isoproterenol following BiVAD support. In addition, myocardial collagen content and chamber stiffness increased tremendously after BiVAD support (p < 0.05 vs CHF and LVAD). CONCLUSION: BiVAD-induced hemodynamic unloading support resulted in significant reverse structural and functional remodeling of the right chamber. The lack of these findings during LVAD support alone provides additional support that diastolic pressure and volume unloading is an important mechanism underlying the process of reverse remodeling.

Adult↗