Measurement of pericardial constraint

Atrioventricular nonuniformity of pericardial constraint.

Physiologists and clinicians commonly refer to "pressure" as a measure of the constraining effects of the pericardium; however, "pericardial pressure" is really a local measurement of epicardial radial stress. During diastole, from the bottom of the y descent to the beginning of the a wave, pericardial pressure over the right atrium (P(pRA)) is approximately equal to that over the right ventric...

Threshold of pericardial constraint: the pericardial reserve volume and auxiliary pericardial functions.

Assessment of pericardial constraint in dogs.

To determine the better method of measuring pericardial constraint, pericardial pressure was recorded by a liquid-filled open-ended catheter and a liquid-containing flat balloon in six open-chest anesthetized dogs. Left ventricular pressure was measured by a micromanometer-tipped catheter and left ventricular anteroposterior diameter was measured by sonomicrometry. Left ventricular end-diastoli...

Role for Relief of Pericardial Constraint?

Background. Myocardial stretch and increased ventricular filling can lead to increased rates of myocardial protein synthesis. In animal studies, left ventricular mass increases after pericardiectomy, suggesting relief of a biologically meaningful restraining role and a resultant stimulus for growth. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that combined thoracotomy and pericardioto...

The Measurement of Pericardial Effusion

A quantitative measurement of pericardial effusion volume was developed using an indicator dilution method. The technique was verified in animals and clinical subjects and applied to nine patients with pericardial effusions. The method was also utilized effectively in pleural effusion (two patients) and with modification, in ascites (one patient). The method allowed c o n h a t i o n of aspirat...