Regional differences in color tissue Doppler-derived measures of longitudinal right ventricular function using transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to compare the right ventricular (RV) Doppler tissue imaging parameters of tricuspid annular isovolumic acceleration (IVA), systolic velocity (S), and basilar myocardial strain and strain rate (SR) by using both transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (inferior wall) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (free wall) in a cardiac surgical population under general anesthesia.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-four elective patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Under general anesthesia, simultaneous Doppler tissue-imaging measurements of tricuspid annular velocities and basilar myocardial deformation were performed by using both TEE and TTE approaches. Interclass correlation coefficients were used to compare the measurements using both methods. When TEE and TTE methods were compared, there was good correlation for the IVA (r = 0.70) but no correlation for S-wave velocities, strain, and SR. The S-wave velocities were lower using the TEE approach. The basilar strain and SR were higher using the TEE approach.


CONCLUSIONS
In cardiac surgical patients under anesthesia, the IVA appears to be the most consistent variable in the evaluation of RV function measured by either the TTE (lateral wall) or TEE (inferior wall). Technical difficulties may preclude the use of the deformation parameters in the assessment of RV function.
Tousignant
Claude P
CP
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Bowry
Richard
R
Levesque
Sylvie
S
Denault
André Y
AY
D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*