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Ann Thorac Surg 2002;73:750
© 2002 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Invited commentary

^a Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 9500 Euclid Ave, F25, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA

The right ventricle is not a "black box," but it can be very dark. This report from the Columbia team helps shed light on the physiology of right ventricular function in patients on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. Typically, the patient with a failing left ventricle has high left atrial pressures, and therefore elevated pulmonary artery pressures. On LVAD support the left atrial pressure drops, therefore the pulmonary artery pressure drops. Then the right ventricle (RV) ejection fraction improves, right atrial pressure drops, and finally the hepatic congestion is gradually relieved. However, when RV contractility (RV stroke work index in this report) is severely impaired then pulmonary artery pressures before LVAD implant may be low because the ventricle cannot generate higher pressures. In this worrisome . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Ann. Thorac. Surg. 2002 73: 745-750. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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				J. L. Navia, P. M. McCarthy, K. J. Hoercher, N. G. Smedira, M. K. Banbury, and E. H. Blackstone Do left ventricular assist device (LVAD) bridge-to-transplantation outcomes predict the results of permanent LVAD implantation? Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2002; 74(6): 2051 - 2063. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]