Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction of the cardiac surgery patient; a point of view for the cardiac surgeon and cardio-anesthesiologist

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD) is defined as the inability of the ventricle to fill to a normal end-diastolic volume, both during exercise as well as at rest, while left atrial pressure does not exceed 12 mm Hg. We examined the concept of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in a cardiac surgery setting.Materials &

Methods: Literature review was carried out in order to identify the overall experience of an important and highly underestimated issue: the unexpected adverse outcome due to ventricular stiffness, following cardiac surgery.

Results: Although diverse group of patients for cardiac surgery could potentially affected from diastolic dysfunction, there are only few studies looking in to the impact of DD on the postoperative outcome; Trans-thoracic echo-cardiography (TTE) is the main stay for the diagnosis of DD.

Intraoperative trans-oesophageal (TOE) adds to the management. Subgroups of DD can be defined with prognostic significance.

Conclusions: DD with elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure can predispose to increased perioperative mortality and morbidity.

Furthermore, DD is often associated with systolic dysfunction, left ventricular hypertrophy or indeed pulmonary hypertension. When the diagnosis of DD is made, peri-operative attention to this group of patients becomes mandatory.

Author: Efstratios ApostolakisNikolaos BaikoussisHaralabos ParissisStavros SiminelakisGeorgios Papadopoulos
Credits/Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 2009, 4:67

Published on: 2009-11-24

Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.

Comments Page 0 of 0

There are currently 0 comments to display.

+ Add New Comment

Custom Search