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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography
Published on: October 28, 2020
[Value of right ventricular ejection fraction in the preoperative risk evaluation for pulmonary resection]
Maosheng Wang1, Tao Li, Jian Huang
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Maoming People's Hospital, Maoming, Guangdong 525000, P.R.China.
Background:
To evaluate the preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) as a predictor of postoperative complications after lung resection.
Methods:
RVEF was consecutively assessed in 254 patients before pulmonary resection by echocardiography. According to preoperative right ventricular function, the patients were divided into: group Ia (n=82, RVEF≥45%), group Ib (n=92,RVEF < 45%), group Ic (n=42, RVEF < 40%),and group Id (n=38, RVEF≤35%). Postoperative RVEF was detected again in 122 patients 3 weeks later after lung resection.
Results:
Preoperative RVEF of patients with postoperative complications was significantly higher than that of patitents without postoperative complications (P < 0.001). Among group Ia, Ib, Ic, and Id, there were significant differences in postoperative morbidities (P < 0.005). Patients with a preoperative RVEF less than 40% had a higher incidence of complications than those with RVEF over 40% (P < 0.005). Of the 122 patients, postoperative RVEF was remarkably lower than preoperative RVEF (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
The preoperative RVEF may be a predictor of postoperative complications for lung resection. RVEF higher than 40% is considered as a safe range for pneumonectomy.