Abstract
An echocardiographic evaluation of right and left ventricular function during synchronous and asynchronous left heart device pumping was carried out in 20 mongrel dogs to establish the long term monitoring system as a non-invasive method.
The echo transducer was placed on the right ventricular epicardium directry or 1.5-2cm away from it, as the immersed method. The effects of LHB on heart rates, LVDd, LVDs, RVDd, RVDs and LVSV were measured and following results were obtained; 1) almost no changes of heart rates and RVD during sync. and async., 2) a significant decrease of LVDd and LVSV during both sinc. and async. with good correlation to the bypass ratio, 3) no signifcant changes of these determinants between async. and sync.
The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of echocardiographic monitoring in the evaluation of a left heart assist device as a noninvasive, repeatable and reliable method.
