Effects of pericardiotomy on left ventricular muscle mass and hemodynamic parameters

Abstract

Aim: It has been shown in many experimental animal studies that increased myocardial tension and ventricular filling after cardiacpericardiectomy leads to increased myocardial protein synthesis and increased left ventricular muscle mass. In this study, we aimedto show left ventricular muscle mass changes, left ventricular end-systolic-end-diastolic volume changes, significant changesin systolic-diastolic blood pressure and wall stress after pericardiectomy performed in patients with normal ejection fractionundergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation.Material and Methods: Echocardiographic ventricular mass, end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes, ejection fraction valueswere measured in the preoperative 1st day, postoperative 6th weeks and post operative 6th months in our 32 patients with normalejection fraction who underwent elective coronary artery bypass operation in our clinic.Results: According to the preoperative values, echocardiographic evaluations showed that left ventricular muscle mass index(LVMMI) increased 15% at 6 weeks, %18 at 6 month after CABG operation ( p< 0,05). The mean left ventricular end diastolic volumeindex (LVEDVI) was 55 ±8 ml/m2 preoperatively , 67 ±10 ml/m2 at the 6th week and 70 ±12 ml/m2 at 6th month; this increase wassignificant respectively (p