Right ventricular performance and left ventricular assist device filling.
BACKGROUND
Right ventricular (RV) function is believed to be an important determinant of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) filling. This study was designed to demonstrate this relation in patients.


METHODS
To demonstrate the interaction between RV ejection and LVAD filling, 10 patients (mean age, 49 +/- 13 years) supported with an LVAD were studied. Right ventricular pressure-area loops from cross-sectional area using transesophageal echocardiographic automated border detection and high-fidelity RV pressure were recorded simultaneously with LVAD volume during intraoperative inferior vena cava occlusion. Beat-by-beat RV ejection phase indices were calculated: stroke area, peak ejection rate, and stroke work. The LVAD filling rate was calculated as the first derivative of the volume, and the peak filling rate and the mean filling rate during RV systole were determined for each cardiac cycle.


RESULTS
Right ventricular stroke area, peak ejection rate, and stroke work were closely correlated with LVAD peak filling rate (r = 0.87 +/- 0.09, r = 0.83 +/- 0.09, and r = 0.85 +/- 0.10, respectively). Also, baseline LVAD mean filling rate correlated with RV stroke work (r = 0.77) and LVAD peak filling rate with RV peak ejection rate for the group (r = 0.75).


CONCLUSIONS
These correlations demonstrate predictable associations of RV ejection with LVAD filling.
Mandarino
W A
WA
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Winowich
S
S
Gorcsan
J
J
Gasior
T A
TA
Pham
S M
SM
Griffith
B P
BP
Kormos
R L
RL
D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000503:physiopathology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*