trial septal defects (ASD) are a common congenital heart disease, and their closure is one of the most representative cardiac operations. However, there has been little assessment of right ventricular (RV) performance during the perioperative period because of difficulty in measuring the instantaneous RV volume as a result of the complex geometry.We have previously used transesophageal echocardiography with an automated border detection (ABD) system to examine the RV pressure -area (P-A) relationship of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. 1,2 This technology is able to continuously measure the ventricular cavity area by differentiating the acoustic backscatter characteristics of blood from myocardial tissue. We have also reported the on-line analysis of the left ventricular (LV) P-A relationship and LV mechanics after an aortic valve replacement operation. 3 In the present study, we used this methodology to record multiple RV P-A loops immediately before and after ASD closure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of ASD closure on perioperative RV performance (contractility and energetics).
Methods
Patient Management and Operative TechniqueA total of 6 patients undergoing an ASD closure in Kyushu University Hospital were studied in the operating Circulation Journal Vol.70, July 2006 room. Their mean age was 45.0Β±11.2 years (26-58 years), and their body weight was 57.2Β±19.1 kg (43.5-95.1 kg). The study protocol was approved by the institutional human investigation committee and written informed consent was given by each patient. Patients were placed in a supine position and anesthesia was performed using a standard intravenous technique with fentanyl, midazolam, and pancuronium for muscle relaxation. ECG and radial arterial pressure were continuously monitored. After the induction of anesthesia, a 7.5F Swan-Ganz catheter (model 93A-431H; Baxter Healthcare, Irvine, CA, USA) was percutaneously inserted into the pulmonary artery and a catheter-tipped micromanometer (Sentron, AC Roden, The Netherlands) was inserted into the right ventricle just under the pulmonary valve. A 5-MHz omniplane transesophageal echocardioscope (model HP 21362C, Hewlett-Packard, Andover, MA, USA) was inserted and connected to a HewlettPackard Sonos 2500 echocardiographic system (model M2406A, Hewlett-Packard, Andover, MA, USA) with ABD capabilities for measurement of the RV cross-sectional area (CSA). An electromagnetic flow probe (model FR series, Nihon Koden, Tokyo, Japan) connected with a flow meter (MFV-2100, Nihon Koden) was positioned around the main pulmonary artery to measure pulmonary artery flow. A fluid-filled pressure line was inserted into the left atrium from the right upper pulmonary vein to measure left atrial pressure.Aortic and bicaval cannulations were performed through a standard median sternotomy, and cardiopulmonary bypass was instituted by a heart -lung machine consisting of a roller pump and a membrane oxygenator. ASD closure was performed during cardiac arrest, and myocardial preservation was a...