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Background-Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) provide better outcome than biventricular devices, but it is a challenge to predict the impact of LV mechanical unloading on postoperative right ventricular (RV) function preoperatively. We assessed the load dependency in RV performance before and after LVAD implantation aiming to improve preoperative decision making. Methods and Results-Laboratory, echocardiography, and right heart catheterization data collected from 205 patients before LVAD implantation were tested for relationship with postoperative RV function. Comparing patients with different time-course of RV function after LVAD implantation, we found significant differences (P<0.01) in preoperative RV enddiastolic short-/long-axis and long-axis/length-area ratios, tricuspid annulus peak systolic velocity, RV peak longitudinal global systolic strain rate, systolic pressure gradient between RV and right atrium (ΔP RV−RA ), tricuspid regurgitation velocity-time integral, and pulmonary arterial pressure between patients with and without postoperative RV failure. High predictive values for postoperative RV failure were found for end-diastolic short-/long-axis ratio ≥0.6, tricuspid annulus peak systolic velocity <8 cm/s, and peak systolic longitudinal strain rate <0.6/s in patients with maximum ΔP RV−RA <35 mm Hg. These parameters also seemed predictive for RV failure in patients with tricuspid regurgitation grade >2 and pulmonary arterial pressure <50 mm Hg. End-diastolic short-/long-axis ratio <0.6, tricuspid annulus peak systolic velocity ≥8 cm/s, and peak systolic longitudinal strain rate ≥0.6 in patients with maximum ΔP RV−RA ≥35 mm Hg showed high predictive values for postoperative freedom from RV failure. The RV load adaptation index seemed particularly predictive for RV function after LVAD implantation. Conclusions-RV geometry and velocity of contraction before LVAD implantation become more predictive for postoperative RV function and can improve decision making before VAD implantation if preoperative RV pressure load and tricuspid regurgitation are also considered. (Circulation. 2013;128[suppl 1]:S14-S23.)Key Words: echocardiography ◼ heart failure ◼ heart-assist device ◼ hemodynamics ◼ risk factors ◼ surgery ◼ ventricles © 2013 American Heart Association, Inc.Circulation is available at http://circ.ahajournals.org DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.000335From the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany (M.D., E.P., T.K., A.S., A.L., J.V., C.K., R.H.); and German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Berlin, Germany (R.H.).Presented at the 2012 American Heart Association meeting in Los Angeles, CA, November 3-7, 2012 Dandel et alDecision Before Ventricular Assist Device Implantation S15 reduction of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) subsequent to LVAD implantation, as long as the postoperative outcome is not impaired by irreversibly poor end-organ function, and LV unloading is properly optimized to avoid excessive interventricu...

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In a large cohort of patients, DCMR has an added value for predicting cardiac events during long-term follow-up, improving the differentiation between high-risk and low-risk patients. Patients with inducible WMA and following early revascularization, demonstrate lower cardiac event rates than patients with medical therapy alone.