title: Direct haemodynamic effects of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation embolisation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transcatheter embolisation is widely used to close pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Data on the direct cardiovascular haemodynamic changes induced by this treatment are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the direct haemodynamic effects of transcatheter embolisation of PAVMs, using non-invasive finger pressure measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the procedure, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), total peripheral resistance (TPR) and delta pressure/delta time (dP/dt) were continuously monitored using a Finometer®. Potential changes in these haemodynamic parameters were calculated from the pressure registrations using Modelflow® methodology. Absolute and relative changes were calculated and compared using the paired sample t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present study includes 29 HHT patients (mean age 39 ± 15 years, 11 men) who underwent transcatheter embolotherapy of PAVMs. The total number of embolisations was 72 (mean per patient 2.5). Directly after PAVM closure, SV and CO decreased significantly by -11.9 % (p = 0.01) and -9.5 % (p = 0.01) respectively, without a significant change in HR (1.8 %). Mean arterial blood pressure increased by 4.1 % (p = 0.02), while the TPR and dP/dt did not increase significantly (5.8 % and 0.2 %, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant haemodynamic changes occur directly after transcatheter embolisation of PAVMs, amongst which a decrease in stroke volume and cardiac output are most important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St. Antonius Hospital, Koekoekslaan 1, 3435 CM, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, v.vorselaars@antoniusziekenhuis.nl.
authors.forename: V M M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Vorselaars
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Velthuis
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mager
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Snijder
authors.forename: W-J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: M J L
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: van Strijen
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Post