Pressure-Volume Loops for Reviewing Right Ventricular Physiology and Failure in the Context of Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Right ventricular (RV) function is complex as a number of determinants beyond preload, inotropy and afterload play a fundamental role. In particular, arterial elastance (Ea), ventriculo-arterial coupling (VAC), and (systolic) ventricular interdependence play a vital role for the right ventricle. Understanding and actively visualizing these interactions in the failing RV as well as in the altered hemodynamic and morphological situation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation may aid clinicians in their understanding of RV dysfunction and failure. While, admittedly, hard data is scarce and invasive pressure-volume loop measurements will not become routine in cardiac surgery, we hope that clinicians will benefit from the comprehensive, simulation-based review of RV pathology. In particular, the aim of this article is to first, address and clarify the pathophysiologic hemodynamic factors that lead to RV dysfunction and then, second, expand upon this basis examining the changes occurring by LVAD implantation. This is illustrated using Harvi software which shows elastance, ventricular arterial coupling, and ventricular interdependence by simultaneously showing pressure volume loops of the right and left ventricle.

Diagnosis and treatment of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 on veno-venous extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: Veno-venous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an effective, but highly resource intensive salvage treatment option in COVID patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a known sequelae of COVID-19 induced ARDS, yet there is a paucity of data on the incidence and determinants of RV dysfunction on VV ECMO. We retrospectively examined the determining factors leading to RV failure and means of early identification of this phenomenon in patients on VV ECMO. METHODS: The data was extracted from March 2020 to March 2021 from the regional University of Washington Extracorporeal Life Support database. The inclusion criteria included patients > 18 years of age with diagnosis of COVID-19. All had already been intubated and mechanically ventilated prior to VV ECMO deployment. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors and surrogate markers for RV dysfunction. In addition, we compared outcomes between those with and without RV dysfunction. RESULTS: Of the 33 patients that met inclusion criteria, 14 (42%) had echocardiographic evidence of RV dysfunction, 3 of whom were placed on right ventricular assist device support. Chronic lung disease was an independent risk factor for RV dysfunction (p = 0.0002). RV dysfunction was associated with a six-fold increase in troponin I (0.07 ng/ml vs. 0.44 ng/ml, p = 0.039) and four-fold increase in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) (158 pg/ml vs. 662 pg/ml, p = 0.037). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT, 21% vs. 43%, p = 0.005) and pulmonary embolism (PE, 11% vs. 21%, p = 0.045) were found to be nearly twice as common in the RV dysfunction group. Total survival rate to hospital discharge was 39%. Data trended towards shorter duration of hospital stay (47 vs. 65.6 days, p = 0.15), shorter duration of ECMO support (21 days vs. 36 days, p = 0.06) and improved survival rate to hospital discharge (42.1% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.47) for those with intact RV function compared to the RV dysfunction group. CONCLUSIONS: RV dysfunction in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in common. Trends of troponin I and BNP may be important surrogates for monitoring RV function in patients on VV ECMO. We recommend echocardiographic assessment of the RV on such patients.

Management of the Critically Ill Patient with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Right Heart Failure.

Right ventricular (RV) failure is a recognized complication of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Pregnancy and surgery represent unique challenges to the patient with PH and require input from an interprofessional team. Approach to treatment must embrace sound physiologic principles that are based on optimization of RV preload, contractility, and afterload to improve cardiac function and tissue perfusion before the onset of multiorgan dysfunction. Failure of medical therapy needs to be recognized before the onset of irreversible shock. When appropriate, eligible patients should be considered for mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to recovery or transplantation.

Disfunción ventricular derecha en paciente adulto con comunicación interventricular posinfarto / Right ventricular dysfunction in adult patient with post-infarction ventricular septal defect

RESUMEN Introducción: La disfunción ventricular derecha es la alteración aguda o crónica de la morfología y función de dicha estructura, de origen multifactorial. En los últimos años existe consenso acerca de su función como determinante del estado funcional y factor pronóstico en diversas enfermedades. Objetivo: Destacar la importancia del manejo multidisciplinario y algunas de las opciones terapéuticas que se les pueden brindar a estos pacientes. Presentación del caso: Paciente de 58 años de edad, con antecedentes de salud aparente, que acudió al Servicio de emergencias, donde se le diagnosticó un infarto agudo de miocardio de topografía inferior. Se trasladó a la unidad de cuidados intensivos quirúrgicos del Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular debido a una complicación mecánica por comunicación interventricular. Se recibió con elementos clínicos de insuficiencia cardíaca aguda clase funcional IV. Progresivamente presentó deterioro del estado hemodinámico por lo que requirió el uso de apoyo vasoactivo con norepinefrina; hipoxia, hipercapnia, presiones venosas centrales entre 15 y 18 cmH2O y elementos clínicos de disfunción de ventrículo derecho; se decidió instrumentar vía aérea, administrar sedación y relajación por asincronías a paciente ventilado. Sin otra opción que el tratamiento quirúrgico se llevó a discusión donde se decidió esperar a la mejoría del estado hemodinámico con tratamiento médico. Conclusiones: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares no dejan de aparecer en escenarios cada vez más complejos con elevada morbimortalidad. Se evidencia la importancia del consenso clínico-quirúrgico en el momento de la toma de decisiones.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Right ventricular dysfunction is the acute or chronic alteration of the morphology and function of this structure, of multifactorial origin. In recent years there is consensus about its role as a determinant of functional status and prognostic factor in various diseases. Objective: Highlight the importance of multidisciplinary management and some of the therapeutic options that can be provided to these patients. Case Presentation: A 58-year-old patient with an apparent health history went to the Emergency Service, where he was diagnosed with an acute myocardial infarction of lower topography. He was transferred to the surgical intensive care unit of the Cardiovascular Surgery Service due to a mechanical complication from ventricular septal defect. He was received presenting clinical elements of acute heart failure functional class IV. He progressively presented deterioration of the hemodynamic state, so it required the use of vasoactive support with norepinephrine; hypoxia, hypercapnia, central venous pressures between 15 and 18 cmH2O and clinical elements of right ventricular dysfunction; it was decided to implement airway, administer sedation and relaxation by asynchrony to ventilated patient. With no other option than surgical treatment, it was brought to discussion and it was decided to wait for the improvement of the hemodynamic state with medical treatment. Conclusions: Cardiovascular diseases do not cease to appear in increasingly complex scenarios with high morbidity and mortality. The importance of clinical-surgical consensus at the time of decision-making is evident.

The Right Ventricle in the Trans-Catheter Era: A Perspective for Planning Interventions.

Dysfunction of the right ventricle (RV) is common in patients with advanced left-sided valve disease and the significant impact of RV dysfunction on both short and long-term outcome is well established. However, considerations of RV function are largely absent in current management guidelines for valve disease and cardiac procedural risk models. As the indications and use of trans-catheter therapies rapidly expand for patients with acquired valvular disease, it is critical for clinicians to understand and consider RV function when making decisions for these patients. This review summarizes contemporary data on the assessment of RV function, the prognostic importance of baseline RV dysfunction on surgical and transcatheter procedures for acquired left-sided valvular disease, and the relative impact of these interventions on RV function. Baseline RV dysfunction is a powerful predictor of poor short- and long-term outcome after any therapeutic intervention for acquired left-sided cardiac valve disease. Surgical intervention for aortic or mitral valve disease is associated with a significant but transient decline in RV function, whereas trans-catheter procedures generally do not appear to have detrimental effects on either longitudinal or global RV function. Guidelines for therapy in patents with acquired left-sided valvular disease should account for RV dysfunction. Whereas surgical intervention in these patients leads to a predictable decline in RV function, trans-catheter therapies largely do not appear to have this effect. Further study is needed to determine the impact of these findings on current practice.

High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: Embolectomy and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common medical condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is the third most common cause of death in the United States. Historically, surgery for PE was associated with a high mortality rate, and this led to a significant decrease in the volume of operations being performed. However, significant improvements in patient selection and outcomes for surgical pulmonary embolectomy (SPE) at the end of the 20th century led to a renewed interest in the procedure. SPE was historically reserved for patients presenting with acute PE and hemodynamic collapse or cardiac arrest. Contemporary data has provided sufficient evidence to support earlier intervention for patients with acute PE who demonstrate clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic signs of right ventricular dysfunction. Institutions with cardiac surgery capabilities are implementing SPE earlier for the management of both massive and submassive PEs with excellent short-term and long-term outcomes. Recently, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has been employed successfully to treat patients with massive PE. Excellent short-term outcomes have been reported for patients suffering from PE after treatment with VA-ECMO. Further research, specifically with randomized controlled trials, is needed to determine the appropriate timing and patient selection for the use of VA-ECMO in patients with PE. These data would lead to updated guidelines and algorithms incorporating VA-ECMO and SPE for patients with PE.

The role of regenerative therapy in the treatment of right ventricular failure: a literature review.

Right ventricular (RV) failure is a commonly encountered problem in patients with congenital heart disease but can also be a consequence of left ventricular disease, primary pulmonary hypertension, or RV-specific cardiomyopathies. Improved survival of the aforementioned pathologies has led to increasing numbers of patients suffering from RV dysfunction, making it a key contributor to morbidity and mortality in this population. Currently available therapies for heart failure were developed for the left ventricle (LV), and there is clear evidence that LV-specific strategies are insufficient or inadequate for the RV. New therapeutic strategies are needed to address this growing clinical problem, and stem cells show significant promise. However, to properly evaluate the prospects of a potential stem cell-based therapy for RV failure, one needs to understand the unique pathophysiology of RV dysfunction and carefully consider available data from animal models and human clinical trials. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms involved in RV failure such as hypertrophy, fibrosis, inflammation, changes in energy metabolism, calcium handling, decreasing RV contractility, and apoptosis. We also summarize the available preclinical and clinical experience with RV-specific stem cell therapies, covering the broad spectrum of stem cell sources used to date. We describe two different scientific rationales for stem cell transplantation, one of which seeks to add contractile units to the failing myocardium, while the other aims to augment endogenous repair mechanisms and/or attenuate harmful remodeling. We emphasize the limitations and challenges of regenerative strategies, but also highlight the characteristics of the failing RV myocardium that make it a promising target for stem cell therapy.

Ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis for acute intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism.

INTRODUCTION: Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) may result in hearing loss, chronic otitis and cholesteatoma. With advances in treatment options, the identification of patients with obstructive ETD is becoming increasingly important. The objective of this study was to validate a Danish translation of the 7-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7). METHODS: All participants underwent tympanometry, otomicroscopy and completed the ETDQ-7. We included 34 ears from patients with obstructive ETD who had abnormal tympanometry curves but no history of cholesteatoma or adhesive otitis. As a control group, 48 otherwise healthy ears with a normal tympanometry curve were included from patients with known sensorineural hearing loss or normal hearing. RESULTS: A Cronbach's alpha of 0.77 indicated a good internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire. The mean ETDQ-7 score in the obstructive ETD group was 31 versus 13.5 in the control group (p = 0.00). A receiver operating characteristics analysis produced an area under the curve of 94%, showing excellent discriminatory abilities between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The ETDQ-7 has previously been validated in English, German, Dutch and Portuguese, demonstrating good clinical relevance. The Danish translation of the ETDQ-7 has produced similar results and may be valuable in diagnosing obstructive ETD and in monitoring the effect of balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube. FUNDING: none. The study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (VD-2018-33, I-Suite 6229).

COVID-19 infection in left ventricular assist device patients.

We describe two cases of favorable and unexpected recovery in positive patients with coronavirus disease 2019, suffering from multiorgan comorbidity and already assisted with the left ventricular assist device. We have observed that, although in the presence of more comorbidities, when the maintenance of a valid support of the cardiovascular function is guaranteed, the possibility of successfully overcoming the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is still alive.

Mechanical circulatory support for cardiovascular complications in a young COVID-19 patient.

BACKGROUND: The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with severe pulmonary and cardiovascular complications. CASE PRESENTATION: This report describes a young patient with COVID-19 without any comorbidity presenting with severe cardiovascular complications, manifesting with pulmonary embolism, embolic stroke, and right heart failure. CONCLUSION: Management with short-term mechanical circulatory support, including different cannulation strategies, resulted in a successful outcome despite his critical cardiovascular status.

Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Right Ventricular Failure with Atrial Septostomy After Corrective Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot.

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction may occur after cardiac surgery and it is not rare after corrective repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). If traditional treatments with volume management, infusion of inotropic agents, and use of pulmonary vasodilators cannot stabilize the patient, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or a ventricular assist device (VAD) will be considered as the last resort. Here, we report a young infant patient with RV failure after corrective repair of TOF and without closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD), who was rescued by veno-venous (VV) -ECMO.

Management of Right Ventricular Failure in Pulmonary Embolism.

Acute right ventricular failure remains the leading cause of mortality associated with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). This article reviews the pathophysiology behind acute right ventricular failure and strategies for managing right ventricular failure in acute PE. Immediate clot reduction via systemic thrombolytics, catheter based procedures, or surgery is always advocated for unstable patients. While waiting to mobilize these resources, it often becomes necessary to support the RV with vasoactive medications. Clinicians should carefully assess volume status and use caution with volume resuscitation. Right ventricular assist devices may have an expanding role in the future.

Improving hemodynamics - Prolonged intra-aortic balloon pump usage in posterior ventricular septal rupture with right ventricle dysfunction.

The associated mortality and morbidity of posterior ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is quite high increasing to almost 80% due to severe right ventricle dysfunction and pulmonary artery hypertension. Herein, we present a case of posterior VSR due to inferior wall myocardial infarction who underwent surgery. Premature removal of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) led to hemodynamic deterioration and he was salvaged with prolonged and prompt re-institution of IABP. This case also highlights the importance of IABP in right ventricle failure.

Right ventricular function and residual mitral regurgitation after left ventricular assist device implantation determines the incidence of right heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The effect of significant mitral regurgitation (MR) on outcomes after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (cfLVAD) implantation remains unclear. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 159 patients with preoperative severe MR who underwent cfLVAD implantation (2003-2017). Two-step cluster analysis using the log-likelihood distance for post-cfLVAD implantation parameters, which included right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, MR severity, and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity. Post-cfLVAD implantation echocardiographic parameters were obtained within the first month. RESULTS: Cluster analysis resulted in 3 groups. Group 1 (n = 67) had mild or less MR with moderate-severe RV dysfunction (RVD). Group 2 (n = 43) had moderate-severe MR with moderate-severe RVD. Group 3 (n = 49) had moderate MR with mild RVD. Group 2 had the largest proportion with Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support score of 1 (30.2%) and 2 (41.9%). They were more likely to undergo temporary mechanical circulatory support (18.6%) and tricuspid valve procedure (62.8%). Group 2 had the highest rate of stroke (30.2%; P = .02), hemolysis (39.5%; P = .01), device thrombosis (30%; P = .01), and worst survival (46.5%; P = .01). Survival at 5 years for groups 1, 2, and 3 were 56.0%, 17.6%, and 55.8%. Regression analysis of the entire population showed that greater MR severity after cfLVAD was associated with RV failure (P < .05; odds ratio, 1.6) and RV assist device use (P = .09; odds ratio, 1.6). After excluding tricuspid valve repairs, MR severity had a positive correlation with TR severity (R = 0.33; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: After cfLVAD implantation, moderate-severe MR and RVD predicted RV failure. Patients with preoperative moderate-severe MR and TR coupled with moderate-severe RVD might benefit the most from mitral and tricuspid valve intervention.