Intraoperative validation of mitral inflow determination by transesophageal echocardiography: comparison of single-plane, biplane and thermodilution techniques

Three-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of changes in mitral valve geometry after valve repair

BACKGROUND

Application of annuloplasty rings during mitral valve (MV) repair has been shown to significantly change the mitral annular geometry. Until recently, a comprehensive two-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of annular geometric changes was difficult owing to its nonplanar orientation. In this study, an analysis of the three-dimensional intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic evaluation of the MV annulus is presented before and immediately after repair.

METHODS

We performed three-dimensional geometric analysis on 75 patients undergoing MV repair during coronary artery bypass graft surgery for mitral regurgitation or myxomatous mitral valve disease. Geometric analysis of the MV was performed before and immediately after valve repair with full rings and annuloplasty bands. The acquired three-dimensional volumetric data were analyzed in the operating room. Specific measurements included annular diameter, leaflet lengths, the nonplanarity angle, and the circularity index. Before and after repair data were compared.

RESULTS

Complete echocardiographic assessment of the MV was feasible in 69 of 75 patients (92%) within 2 to 3 minutes of acquisition. Placement of full rings resulted in an increase in the nonplanarity angle or a less saddle shape of the native mitral annulus (137 +/- 14 versus 146 +/- 14; p = 0.002. By contrast, the nonplanarity angle did not change significantly after placement of partial rings.

CONCLUSIONS

Mitral annular nonplanarity can be assessed in the operating room. Application of full annuloplasty rings resulted in the mitral annulus becoming more planar. Partial annuloplasty bands did not significantly change the nonplanarity angle. Neither of the two types of rings restored the native annular planarity.

Assessment of left ventricular function by cardiac ultrasound

Our understanding of the physical underpinnings of the assessment of cardiac function is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Recent developments in cardiac ultrasound permit exploitation of many of these newer physical concepts with current echocardiographic machines. This review will first focus on the current approach to the assessment of cardiovascular hemodynamics by cardiac ultrasound. The next focus will be the assessment of global cardiac mechanics in systole and diastole. Finally, relationships between the cardiac structure and regional myocardial function, and the way regional function can be quantified by ultrasound, will be presented. This review also discusses the clinical impact of echocardiography and its future directions and developments.

Development of a new animal model of chronic mitral regurgitation in rats under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance

Large animal models (dog and sheep) are often used for the investigation of the pathophysiology of chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). A major limitation of large animal models is cost. The aim of this study was to develop a new animal model of chronic MR. Left thoracotomy was performed in 34 rats. Under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography, a fine needle was inserted into the left ventricle (LV) to damage the mitral leaflets and produce MR. Serial transthoracic echocardiography was performed to assess LV remodeling and function. Left atrial and LV diameters were significantly larger, and LV fractional shortening was lower in the MR group than in the sham group. The 150-day survival was 59% in the MR group and 100% in the sham group (P < .01). This new animal model of chronic MR may be used in the study of the pathophysiology of chronic MR and pharmacologic therapies.

Transoesophageal echocardiography is unreliable for cardiac output assessment after cardiac surgery compared with thermodilution*

This randomised, single-blind, double-control study compared and established prospectively the best transoesophageal echocardiography methods for determining cardiac output in patients after cardiac surgery. Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were included. Measurements were taken postoperatively, after stabilisation in the intensive care unit. Cardiac output was determined by transoesophageal echocardiography in randomised order through the aortic, mitral, and pulmonary valves, right and left ventricular outflow tracts, transgastric surface areas of the left ventricle and left ventricle two-dimensional volumes (Simpson's rules). 'Eyeball guessing' was done off-line. The best results were transaortic measurements using the triangular shape assumption of valve opening, but some values deviated considerably, and none of these approaches reached the limit of agreement set at 30% when compared to thermodilution. Eyeball guessing was comparable to the best transoesophageal echocardiography measurements. We conclude that transoesophageal echocardiography is an unreliable tool for determination of cardiac output in intensive care after cardiac surgery.

A new automated method for the quantification of mitral regurgitant volume and dynamic regurgitant orifice area based on a normalized centerline velocity distribution using color M-mode and continuous wave Doppler imaging

Previous echocardiographic techniques for quantifying valvular regurgitation (PISA) are limited by factors including uncertainties in orifice location and hemispheric convergence assumption. Using computational fluid dynamics simulations, we developed a new model for the estimation of orifice diameter and regurgitant volume without the aforementioned assumptions of the PISA technique. Using experimental data obtained from the in vitro flow model we successfully validated our new model. The model output (y) and reference (x) values were in close agreement (y = 0.95x + 0.38, r = 0.96, error = 1.68 +/- 7.54% for the orifice diameter and y = 1.18x - 4.72, r = 0.93, error = 6.48 +/- 16.81% for the regurgitant volume).

Use of echocardiography for hemodynamic monitoring

OBJECTIVE

To assess the accuracy of echocardiography for hemodynamic monitoring.

DATA SOURCES

A computerized MEDLINE search was used with the following search headings: monitoring (physiologic and intra-operative) and both echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography. A number of studies were obtained from the reference lists of cardiology reviews and textbooks.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies that were designed to assess the accuracy of hemodynamic monitoring.

DATA EXTRACTION

From the selected studies, the accuracy of different techniques for measuring preload and cardiac output was compared.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Hypovolemia can be detected accurately by measuring left ventricular end-diastolic area. At high preload, Doppler-based methods are more accurate, although further studies in critical care patients are needed. Cardiac output is best measured by measuring Doppler flow, preferably across the aortic valve.

CONCLUSIONS

Echocardiography can be used to make accurate hemodynamic measurements; however, training is required. Further studies are needed to validate these methods in the management of critically ill patients.

Assessment of ventricular filling volumes with an automated color Doppler method: validation in a pulsatile flow model

OBJECTIVE

Determination of ventricular filling volumes with the use of Doppler echocardiographic measurements critically depends on the presence of a circular-shaped flow area and a flat velocity profile across it because evaluation of flow volume is usually based on echocardiographic measurements of its diameter and pulsed Doppler recordings within the center of this area. The approach may be limited at the mitral and tricuspid ring levels as a result of their noncircular shape and because nonflat velocity profiles are present. The purpose of this study was to examine in a pulsatile flow model simulating ventricular inflow conditions the accuracy of an automated method based on the analysis of color Doppler flow velocities for evaluation of flow volumes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A recently-developed automated Doppler method that takes into account the velocity distribution across a region of interest was examined in a pulsatile flow model by using flows with waveforms characteristic for ventricular inflow through tubes with elliptically-shaped cross-sectional areas. Color Doppler imaging was performed against flow direction along the major and minor axes of the tubes with major diameters ranging between 3 and 5 cm and major-to-minor diameter ratios of 1.5 and 2.0.

RESULTS

A close correlation was found between flow volumes measured by the Doppler technique for registrations along the minor or major axis of the ellipses and actual values (r = 0.99, standard error of the estimate = 0.44 to 1.98 mL), with a systematic underestimation or overestimation, respectively, depending on the diameter ratio. Averaging of the data derived from 2 orthogonal measurements by using the geometric mean value yielded an excellent agreement between Doppler data and actual flow volumes.

CONCLUSION

This automated color Doppler method enables reliable determination of flow volumes in a pulsatile flow model simulating ventricular inflow conditions with the use of 2 orthogonal imaging views. The data indicate that the method may improve the noninvasive evaluation of ventricular filling volumes.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the critical care patient

Critically ill patients often pose special diagnostic problems to the clinician, intensified by limited physical examination findings and difficulty in transportation to imaging suites. Mechanical ventilation and the limited ability to position the patient make transthoracic echocardiography difficult. Transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) imaging, however, is well suited to the critical care patient and is frequently used to evaluate hemodynamic status, the presence of vegetations, a cardioembolic source, and an intracardiac cause of hypoxemia. Using proper precautions, TEE can be performed safely in unstable patients and frequently leads to important changes in management.

Transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) evaluation of ventricular function

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides excellent delineation of ventricular function in the ambulatory and critical settings. Major indications include the acutely ill patient with suboptimal images with other techniques and the intraoperative assessment of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and of cardiac patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. The methodology of quantification of ventricular function is quite accurate, though it has inherent limitations. Newer technologies, such as edge enhancement techniques, three-dimensional acquisition, and contrast agents, all have the potential to improve evaluation of ventricular function with TEE. Stress imaging with TEE is possible with dobutamine and with pacing techniques. This is sage and accurate, and it is indicated in patients, such as the morbidly obese, who are impossible to image by other methods.

The value of assessing pulmonary venous flow velocity for predicting severity of mitral regurgitation: A quantitative assessment integrating left ventricular function

Although alteration in pulmonary venous flow has been reported to relate to mitral regurgitant severity, it is also known to vary with left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction. There are few data relating pulmonary venous flow to quantitative indexes of mitral regurgitation (MR). The object of this study was to assess quantitatively the accuracy of pulmonary venous flow for predicting MR severity by using transesophageal echocardiographic measurement in patients with variable LV dysfunction. This study consisted of 73 patients undergoing heart surgery with mild to severe MR. Regurgitant orifice area (ROA), regurgitant stroke volume (RSV), and regurgitant fraction (RF) were obtained by quantitative transesophageal echocardiography and proximal isovelocity surface area. Both left and right upper pulmonary venous flow velocities were recorded and their patterns classified by the ratio of systolic to diastolic velocity: normal (>/=1), blunted (<1), and systolic reversal (<0). Twenty-three percent of patients had discordant patterns between the left and right veins. When the most abnormal patterns either in the left or right vein were used for analysis, the ratio of peak systolic to diastolic flow velocity was negatively correlated with ROA (r = -0.74, P <.001), RSV (r = -0.70, P <.001), and RF (r = -0.66, P <.001) calculated by the Doppler thermodilution method; values were r = -0.70, r = -0.67, and r = -0.57, respectively (all P <.001), for indexes calculated by the proximal isovelocity surface area method. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the reversed pulmonary venous flow pattern for detecting a large ROA (>0.3 cm(2)) were 69%, 98%, and 97%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the normal pulmonary venous flow pattern for detecting a small ROA (<0.3 cm(2)) were 60%, 96%, and 94%, respectively. However, the blunted pattern had low sensitivity (22%), specificity (61%), and predictive values (30%) for detecting ROA of greater than 0.3 cm(2) with significant overlap with the reversed and normal patterns. Among patients with the blunted pattern, the correlation between the systolic to diastolic velocity ratio was worse in those with LV dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%, r = 0.23, P >.05) than in those with normal LV function (r = -0.57, P <.05). Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the peak systolic to diastolic velocity ratio was independently correlated with RF (P <.001) and effective stroke volume (P <.01), with a multiple correlation coefficient of 0.71 (P <.001). In conclusion, reversed pulmonary venous flow in systole is a highly specific and reliable marker of moderately severe or severe MR with an ROA greater than 0.3 cm(2), whereas the normal pattern accurately predicts mild to moderate MR. Blunted pulmonary venous flow can be seen in all grades of MR with low predictive value for severity of MR, especially in the presence of LV dysfunction. The blunted pulmonary venous flow pattern must therefore be interpreted cautiously in clinical practice as a marker for severity of MR.

Determination of prestenotic flow volume using an automated method based on colour Doppler imaging for evaluating orifice area by the continuity equation: validation in a pulsatile flow model

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate, in a pulsatile flow model simulating flow conditions in valvar stenoses, whether accurate determination of orifice area can be achieved by the continuity equation using automated determination of flow volumes based on spatiotemporal integration of digital colour Doppler flow velocities.

METHODS

A method for automated determination of flow volumes which takes into account the velocity distribution across a region of interest was examined using flow through a tube and various restrictive outlet orifices with areas ranging between 0.2 and 3.1 cm2. The sampling rectangle of the Doppler method was positioned proximal to the obstructions within the flow convergence zone for evaluating prestenotic flow volume. Stenotic jet velocities were recorded by continuous wave Doppler to obtain the integral under the velocity curve. Prestenotic flow volume was then divided by the velocity integral to calculate functional orifice area according to the continuity equation.

RESULTS

The presence of parabolically shaped velocity profiles across the prestenotic region was demonstrated by the Doppler method. Excellent agreement was found between prestenotic flow volumes measured by the Doppler technique and actual values (r = 0.99, SEE = 1.35 ml, y = 0.99x-0.24). Use of the continuity equation led to a close correlation, with a systematic underestimation of geometric orifice sizes. Correction of Doppler data for flow contraction yielded an excellent agreement with actual orifice areas.

CONCLUSIONS

The study validated the accuracy of a Doppler method for automated determination of flow volumes for quantifying orifice area by the continuity equation. Prestenotic flow volume and functional orifice area could be evaluated reliably in the presence of non-flat velocity profiles. Thus the method contributes to the non-invasive assessment of valvar stenoses.

New semiautomated Doppler method for quantification of volumetric flow: intraoperative validation with multiplane transesophageal color Doppler imaging

We have validated a new semiautomated method for quantification of volumetric flow applied to multiplane transesophageal color Doppler mapping. This Doppler technique assumes only the incompressibility of the fluid and includes variations of flow area. By computing velocity vectors across a surface normal to the point of scanning, volumetric flow can be measured independently of the angle of incidence between the ultrasonic beam and the direction of blood flow. Mitral valvular flow rate was measured during surgery by transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography in 27 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting at 45 sets of observations. The results were compared with those obtained by the thermodilution technique. The mean of the differences between the thermodilution technique and color Doppler echocardiography was 0.06 +/- 0.866 L/min for the mitral valvular flows (mean of differences [thermodilution-color Doppler] &/- 2 SDs of differences). Thus mitral valvular volumetric flow measured by this color Doppler method showed a close agreement to the thermodilution technique during surgery.