Integrity of the pericardium. Its beneficial effects on the protection of the right ventricle in the presence of acute pulmonary hypertension.
UNLABELLED: After cardiac transplant (CT), the right ventricle can be subject to an acute pressure overload, especially in cases where there is a pre-existing severe pulmonary hypertension. OBJECTIVES: To determine the maximum tolerance of the right ventricle (MxTRV) when faced with acute pressure overload. To study the function of both ventricles of the healthy heart (donor) when faced with different degrees of pulmonary hypertension. To detect possible interactions between the ventricles in the absence of the pericardium to approximate the experimental model to the clinical model of CT. METHODS: The pulmonary artery is progressively constrained in an experimental model until biventricular failure is detected. This experiment is performed in two different situations: with and without pericardial integrity. RESULTS: When pericardial integrity is maintained the MxTRV faced with a pressure overload is 73.2+/-8.56 mmHg. When this pressure is exceeded there is a circulatory collapse with a sharp fall in the cardiac output and in the aortic pressure. However, when pericardectomy is performed (model similar to CT), only 52+/-6.71 mmHg is tolerated (p< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: With the pericardium open, as in CT, the maximum pressure that the right ventricle can support is significantly less than with the pericardium closed. The pericardium has a positive effect in protecting the systolic ventricular interaction.