Increased left ventricular diastolic chamber stiffness immediately after coronary artery bypass surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and severity of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction immediately after coronary artery bypass surgery by utilizing simultaneous transesophageal echocardiographic and hemodynamic monitoring.


BACKGROUND
Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been documented after coronary bypass surgery, but its measurement has been technically difficult to acquire and limited by dependence on loading conditions.


METHODS
End-diastolic pressure-area curves were constructed before and immediately after coronary bypass surgery in 20 patients. Transesophageal echocardiographic images at the midpapillary level of the left ventricle and hemodynamic data were recorded. Volume status was manipulated to alter loading conditions, and multiple measurements were taken at each loading condition.


RESULTS
Diastolic function worsened in all patients, as manifested by a postoperative leftward shift of the end-diastolic pressure-area curve. At a comparable preload, mean end-diastolic area +/- SEM decreased by 15% from 17.6 +/- 0.8 to 14.9 +/- 0.8 cm2 postoperatively (p = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Left ventricular diastolic chamber stiffness frequently increases immediately after coronary artery bypass surgery. Simultaneous hemodynamic and transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring, through the construction of end-diastolic pressure-area curves, is a useful method to evaluate diastolic function and guide management after cardiac surgery.
McKenney
P A
PA
Department of Medicine, Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research, Boston University Medical Center Hospital, Massachusetts.
Apstein
C S
CS
Mendes
L A
LA
Connelly
G P
GP
Aldea
G S
GS
Shemin
R J
RJ
Davidoff
R
R
D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology