Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function in left ventricular volume load and the immediate changes after operation

Abstract

Cardiac function and changes following surgery was studied with computerized M-mode echocardiography in 12 patients with volume load of the left ventricle. Half of them had congenital lesions, the other half aortic regurgitation. Left ventricular (LV) shortening fraction and LV ejection time were significantly reduced postoperatively and came close to normal mean values. Also cardiac output and LV diameters normalized or at least started its normalization. The computerized values for rates of decrease and increase of left ventricular diameter were reduced postoperatively (p<0.01 and p<0.05 respectively) compared to elevated preoperative values. The study shows that relief of volume load on the left ventricle immediately leads to normalization of left ventricular function, especially if the myocardium was intact preoperatively.

Key Words:

• cardiac function by echo
• pre- and postoperative echocardiography
• computerized echocardiography
• LV volume load
• cardiac surgery