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Updated: Aug 3, 2026
09:22
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Right ventricular pathology in chronic pulmonary hypertension
S P Bradley1, W R Auger, K M Moser
1Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego Medical Center, USA.
The American Journal of Cardiology
|September 1, 1996
Summary
Right ventricular biopsies in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients revealed mostly myocyte hypertrophy. Focal fibrosis, though present in some, did not impact surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research
- Cardiac Pathology
Background:
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) significantly impacts right ventricular function.
- Understanding the myocardial changes in CTEPH is crucial for predicting surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histopathological findings in right ventricular free wall biopsies from CTEPH patients undergoing surgery.
- To determine if specific myocardial pathologies correlate with postsurgical functional or hemodynamic outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of right ventricular free wall biopsy specimens from 40 patients with CTEPH.
- Histopathological examination for normality, myocyte hypertrophy, focal fibrosis, and myocarditis.
- Correlation of findings with postsurgical functional and hemodynamic data.
Main Results:
- Biopsies were normal in 5% of patients.
- Myocyte hypertrophy was the predominant finding, present in 80% of specimens.
- Mild focal fibrosis was observed in 12.5%, and myocarditis in 2.5% of patients.
- No significant relationship was found between the presence of focal fibrosis and postsurgical outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Right ventricular free wall biopsies in CTEPH patients undergoing surgery primarily show myocyte hypertrophy.
- The presence of mild focal fibrosis does not appear to influence functional or hemodynamic recovery after surgery.
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