Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Establishment and Confirmation of a Postnatal Right Ventricular Volume Overload Mouse Model
06:04

Establishment and Confirmation of a Postnatal Right Ventricular Volume Overload Mouse Model

Published on: June 9, 2023

Relation of size of secondary ventricles to exercise performance in children after fontan operation

Ashwin Prakash1, Thomas G Travison, Mark A Fogel

  • 1Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ashwin.prakash@cardio.chboston.org

The American Journal of Cardiology
|November 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

In children with Fontan circulation, a larger secondary ventricle and greater its contribution to stroke volume correlate with improved exercise capacity. This finding highlights the importance of secondary ventricular function in Fontan patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • The Fontan operation is a palliative procedure for single-ventricle congenital heart defects.
  • The role of the nondominant (secondary) ventricle in Fontan circulation physiology is not well understood.
  • Assessing secondary ventricular function is crucial for understanding long-term outcomes in Fontan survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between secondary ventricular characteristics and global cardiac performance in Fontan patients.
  • To determine if secondary ventricular size and function correlate with exercise capacity and other clinical outcomes.
  • To identify potential imaging biomarkers for improved functional status in Fontan circulation.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 123 children (mean age 12.1 years) with Fontan circulation from 7 centers.
  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was used to assess secondary ventricular parameters (mass, end-diastolic volume, mass/volume ratio, stroke volume).
  • Analysis correlated CMR findings with exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption), ventricular function, natriuretic peptide levels, and functional status.

Main Results:

  • A larger secondary ventricular end-diastolic volume was associated with greater exercise capacity.
  • A lower secondary ventricular mass/volume ratio (less hypertrophy) correlated with better exercise capacity.
  • A higher ratio of secondary to total ventricular stroke volume was linked to improved exercise capacity.

Conclusions:

  • In children post-Fontan operation, a larger, less hypertrophied secondary ventricle contributing more to stroke volume is associated with better exercise capacity.
  • Secondary ventricular characteristics appear to be important determinants of functional status in Fontan survivors.
  • Further research is warranted to explore therapeutic strategies targeting secondary ventricular optimization.

More Related Videos

Wireless Telemetry Device Implantation in a Fontan Ovine Model for Continuous and Long-Term Hemodynamic Monitoring06:29

Wireless Telemetry Device Implantation in a Fontan Ovine Model for Continuous and Long-Term Hemodynamic Monitoring

Published on: May 2, 2025

Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography07:11

Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography

Published on: October 28, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output01:22

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output

Cardiac output (CO), the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute, is a parameter in cardiovascular physiology determined by stroke volume and heart rate. Stroke volume, the amount of blood pushed from one of the ventricles per heartbeat, is influenced by preload, afterload, and contractility.
Preload
Preload refers to the initial elongation of the cardiac myocytes before contraction and is related to the volume of blood filling the heart at the end of diastole, or end-diastolic volume. The...
Regulation of Stroke Volume01:27

Regulation of Stroke Volume

The regulation of stroke volume, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps out during each heartbeat, is critical for maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Stroke volume is influenced by three main factors: preload, contractility, and afterload.
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
Exercise and Cardiac Output01:17

Exercise and Cardiac Output

Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health, with aerobic exercises being particularly effective. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic exercise per week is recommended for a healthy heart. Aerobic activities may include brisk walking, running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and swimming, ideally performed three to five times per week.
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be met...
Cardiac Output and Stroke Volume01:11

Cardiac Output and Stroke Volume

Cardiac output (CO) is an integral aspect of human physiology, reflecting the heart's efficiency and responsiveness to the body's needs. It represents the volume of blood that the left or right ventricle ejects into the aorta or pulmonary trunk each minute. The CO is calculated by multiplying the heart rate (HR)—the number of heartbeats per minute—by the stroke volume (SV)—the amount of blood pumped out with each heartbeat.
In an average resting adult male, the typical cardiac output averages...