OBJECTIVES To study the effect of mitral valve repair with or without concomitant tricuspid valve repair on functional tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular function. METHODS From 2001 to 2007, 1833 patients with degenerative mitral valve disease, a structurally normal tricuspid valve, and no coronary artery disease underwent mitral valve repair, and 67 underwent concomitant tricuspid...

BACKGROUND Postnatal outcome of fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is mainly determined by right ventricular function. In the present study we used spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) to assess right ventricular function of fetuses with HLHS. METHODS Three-dimensional ultrasound with STIC technique was used to acquire heart images from fetuses that had HLHS and the norma...

BACKGROUND Subcostal planes allow demonstration of the entire right ventricular cavity and are frequently used in patients with congenital heart disease; however, their clinical utility in the evaluation of systemic right ventricular function after atrial switch procedure for complete transposition has never been verified in adolescent and adult patients. METHODS In unselected patients with s...

Although the bipyridine agent amrinone is reported to have a positive inotropic effect on the left ventricle, the effect of this drug on right ventricular contractility in the clinical setting is unknown. We studied the effect of short-term intravenous administration of amrinone on right ventricular systolic function in nine patients with severe congestive heart failure and, using radionuclide ...

We postulated that the abnormal shape, size, and function of the right heart and adjoining ventricular septum in adults with Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve might in turn alter the shape and function of the left ventricle. Seven adult patients with uncomplicated Ebstein's anomaly were studied. Left ventricular geometry was determined by two-dimensional echocardiography. Left ventricula...

The importance of right ventricular (RV) function in maintaining global cardiac performance is the focus of this discussion. The physiological determinants of normal right ventricular function will be discussed, with particular emphasis on the afterload and contractility characteristics of the right ventricle. Numerous clinical conditions have been shown to affect RV performance. These conditio...