Venopulmonary ECMO Improved Hypoxemia and Supported the Right Ventricle in a Patient with Decompensated Eisenmenger Syndrome

Mechanical circulatory and/or respiratory assistance with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a standard of care for patients with circulatory (venoarterial) and/or respiratory (venovenous) failure refractory to standard therapies. Adult patients with congenital heart disease are an increasingly recognized and growing population and include various groups, such as undiagnosed cases in childhood and palliated and/or corrected cases, which require subsequent care because of residual lesions, cardiac arrest/insufficiency, and arrhythmias, among other conditions. In addition, these patients are prone to developing pathologies that are typical of adulthood with a generally increased risk of morbidity and mortality because of their low reserves and organic damage associated with the underlying heart disease, which makes them candidates for ECMO. These patients represent an additional challenge in this therapy because malformations and the presence of a shunt can generally affect the usual cannulation methods and hemodynamic and oximetry monitoring. Thus, the configuration decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. Here, we present a cannulation method, venopulmonary artery ECMO, which provides hemodynamic and respiratory support, and may be ideal for patients with shunts and/or right ventricular dysfunction. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this configuration in patients with congenital heart diseases.

The Hidden Value of Assessing Right Ventricular Performance with Exercise in Hypertensive Patients with Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction could develop during exercise in patients with both hypertension and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and may contribute to the patient symptoms. The objective is to assess RV function, both at rest and during exercise in patients with hypertension and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Methods: We included 30 patients with hypertension and resting LV diastolic dysfunction. The systolic function of the right ventricle was assessed by TAPSE (Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion) and S, while E/A ratio, annular lateral E’, E/E’ and E’/A’ were used to measure diastolic function. The global function of the right ventricle was assessed by measuring the right indexed myocardial performance. The dimensions and pulmonary pressures were also measured. Results: The following parameters of RV systolic function were increased significantly with exercise: TAPSE (P = 0.0054), S’ (P = 0.0045). Moreover, the following diastolic parameters of the RV increased significantly with exercise: E/E’ (P = 0.05), A’ (P = 0.04). The global RV function showed also a significant increase (P = 0.0011). The three RV dimensions as well as the pulmonary artery pressures also increased during exercise (P = 0.000004, 0.001, and 0.00000064 respectively). In addition, the presence of resting LV grade II DD predicted significantly higher pulmonary pressures during exercise (P = 0.006). The advanced resting grade of LVDD predicted significantly the presence of advanced grade of RVDD with exercise (P = 0.037). Conclusions: Some patients who have both hypertension and LV diastolic dysfunction showed structural and functional changes of the right ventricle at rest. However, all patients had RV functional changes during exercise.

A Case Report of Right Pneumonectomy with a Focus on the Right Ventricular Function and Hemodynamic Management

Background: In patients undergoing pneumonectomy, intraoperative pulmonary and cardiac complications are the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Protective lung ventilation strategies may decrease the overall lung injury. Right, ventricular dysfunction may occur during the surgery and after the pneumonectomy, in the early postoperative period, with reduced RV ejection fraction and increased RV end-diastolic volume index, caused by increased RV afterload. Case report: We describe the case of a 28-year-old non-smoker female who underwent to a right pneumonectomy. The patient presented intraoperative hemodynamic instability and signs of RV dysfunction, requiring vasoactive amines and nitric oxide. Discussion: This article is intended to provide an overview of the anesthetic management for pneumonectomy including the hemodynamic management and considerations of the causes and management of right ventricular dysfunction.

Tissue Doppler imaging study of right ventricular myocardial systolic activation in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background Tissue Doppler imaging （TDI） has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular （LV） and right ventricular （RV） function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibility than conventional echocardiography. This study was conducted to assess RV myocardial systolic activation by TDI in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH）. Methods A total of 30 patients with PAH and 30 healthy volunteers, all comparable in age and sex, underwent standard Doppler echo and TDI. Using pulsed Doppler echocardiography combined with TDI, the following regional parameters were evaluated in three different myocardial segments （RV basal lateral wall, basal septal, and LV basal lateral） on apical 4-chamber view： systolic （Sm）, early- and late-diastolic （Em and Am） peak velocities. RV myocardial systolic activation delay was defined as the difference in time to peak TDI systolic velocities between the RV basal lateral wall and basal septal. In addition, RV end-diastolic and end-systolic areas were measured to calculate RV fractional area change from the same apical 4-chamber view. Results Compared with the control group, patients with PAH showed increased RA and RV end-diastolic diameter （RA： （4.5±1.2）cm vs （3.0±0.8）cm, P〈0.05 and RV： （4.8±1.9）cm vs （3.4±0.5）cm, P〈0.05） and reduced RV fractional area change; （35±14）% vs （56±9）%, P〈0.05. These PAH patients showed lower myocardial peak velocities and a significant activation delay compared with controls （P〈0.05）. Moreover, a strong correlation between RV myocardial systolic activation delay and RV fractional area change was shown in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension （r = -0.82）. Conclusions In PAH, RV myocardial systolic activation was markedly delayed, which was directly related to the RV fractional area change. RV myocardial systolic activation delay assessed by TDI could offer a unique approach to predict RV dysfunction.

Value of transthoracic echocardiography combined with cardiac troponin I in risk stratification in acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Background Acute pulmonary thromboembolism （APE） causes right ventricular dysfunction （RVD） and cardiac troponin I （cTnl） elevation. Patients with RVD and cTnl elevation have a worse prognosis. Thus, early detection of RVD and cTnl elevation is beneficial for risk stratification. In this study, we assessed 14-day adverse clinical events and combined RVD on transthoracic echocardiography （TTE） with cTnl in risk stratification among a broad spectrum of APE patients. Methods The prospective multi-centre trial included 90 patients with confirmed APE from 12 collaborating hospitals. Acute RVD on TTE was diagnosed in the presence of at least 2 of the following： right ventricular dilatation （without hypertrophy）, loss of inspiratory collapse of inferior vena cava （IVC）, right ventricular （RV） hypokinesis, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity 〉2.8 m/s. The study patients were divided into two groups according to clinical and echocardiographic findings at presentation： Group Ⅰ： 50 patients with RVD; Group Ⅱ：40 patients without RVD. Results More than half of the patients （50/90, 55.6%） had RVD. Nearly one third （26/90, 28.9%） of patients had elevated cTnl at presentation and only 4.2% on the fourth day after initial therapy. A multiple Logistic regression model implied RVD, right and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ratio （RVED/LVED）, and cTnl independently predict an adverse 14-day clinical outcome （P〈0.01）. Receiver operating characteristics （ROC） curves revealed that the cut-off values of RVED/LVED and cTnl yielding the highest discriminating power were 0.65 and 0.11 ng/ml, respectively. Furthermore, the incidence of an adverse 14-day clinical event in patients with RVD and elevated cTnl was greater （40.7%） than in patients with elevated cTnl or positive RVD alone （0% and 8.3%, respectively） （P〈0.001）. Conclusions RVD, RVED/LVED, and cTnl are independent predictors of 14-day clinical outcomes. The patients with RVED/LVED greater than 0.65 and cTnl higher than 0.11 ng/ml at presentation possibly have adverse 14-day events. RVD combined with cTnl can identify a subgroup of APE patients with a much more guarded prognosis.

Induction and deduction in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy: five typical categories

Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.The heart is one of the most important oxygen delivery organs,and dysfunction significantly increases the mortality of the body.Hence,the heart has been studied in sepsis for over half a century.However,the definition of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy is not unified yet,and the conventional conception seems outdated:left ventricular systolic dysfunction(LVSD)along with enlargement of the left ventricle,recovering in 7 to 10 days.With the application of echocardiography in intensive care units,not only LVSD but also left ventricular diastolic dysfunction,right ventricular dysfunction,and even diffuse ventricular dysfunction have been seen.The recognition of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy is gradually becoming complete,although our understanding of it is not deep,which has made the diagnosis and treatment stagnate.In this review,we summarize the research on sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.Women and young people with septic cardiomyopathy are more likely to have LVSD,which may have the same mechanism as stress cardiomyopathy.Elderly people with ischemic cardiomyopathy and hypertension tend to have left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.Patients with mechanical ventilation,acute respiratory distress syndrome or other complications of increased right ventricular afterload mostly have right ventricular dysfunction.Diffuse cardiac dysfunction has also been shown in some studies;patients with mixed or co-existing cardiac dysfunction are more common,theoretically.Thus,understanding the pathophysiology of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy from the perspective of critical care echocardiography is essential.

Correlation of D-dimer level with the radiological severity indexes of pulmonary embolism on computed tomography pulmonary angiography

Background It is known that the main role of D-dimer has been as an exclusionary test in patients with suspected venous thromboembolism.However,the D-dimer is increasingly beginning to find clinical utility as a marker in the evaluation of the extent of the embolic disease.The aim of the study was to determine whether D-dimer levels predict the radiological markers of pulmonary embolism （PE） severity using Mastora score.Methods This prospective study involved 69 patients with acute PE proved by computed tomography pulmonary angiography （CTPA）.The D-dimer level was noted.A pulmonary artery obstruction index （PAOI; Mastora score） ≥21.3% indicated severe obstruction of PE.A right ventricle/left ventricle （RV/LV） ratio 〉0.9 indicated RV dysfunction.Results The median D-dimer level and PAOI were 765 μg/L （95% C/：750-1 205 μg/L） and 16.77% （95% CI：16.32%-23.06%）,respectively.The D-dimer level was positively correlated with PAOI （r=0.417,P 〈0.000 1）.PAOI ≥21.3% was associated with high D-dimer levels （median,993 μg/L （95% C/：856-1 841 μg/L）,Z=-2.991,P=0.003）.The D-dimer level was correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r=0.272,P=0.024）.RV/LV ratios 〉0.9 were associated with high D-dimer levels （median,880 μg/L （95% CI：764-1 360 μg/L）,Z=-2.070,P=0.038）.PAOI was positively correlated with the RV/LV ratio （r =0.390,P=0.001）.After three months,both the PAOI and D-dimer levels decreased （Z=-7.009,P 〈0.000 1; Z=-6.976,P〈0.000 1,respectively）.Conclusion D-dimer levels are positively correlated with PE burden and right ventricle dysfunction on CTPA,and can help monitor the therapeutic response.