TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY FOR RIGHT-VENTRICULAR FUNCTION LATE AFTER THE MUSTARD OPERATION

The aim of the study was to assess echocardiographic measurements of r ight ventricular function in 24 patients aged 10.7 to 28.9 years (mean 18.9 years) receiving the Mustard baffle repair for transposition of the great arteries. Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) from si ngle-plane areas and area length volumes, pulsed Doppler mean aortic a cceleration, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion were corre lated with first-pass radionuclide RVEF. The mean radionuclide RVEF wa s 39%, the mean echocardiographic apical four-chamber RVEF was 41%, an d the mean short-axis RVEF was 37%. Echocardiographic apical four-cham ber right ventricular end-diastolic volumes were 102 +/- 24 ml/m(2), a nd RVEF interobserver and intraobserver correlation coefficients were 0.73 and 0.81, respectively. Radionuclide and echocardiographic RVEF c orrelation coefficients were short axis, 0.40; apical four-chamber, 0. 24; average four-chamber and short axis, 0.38; mean aortic acceleratio n, 0.26; and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, 0.06. The ran ge of echocardiographic right ventricular volumes for young adults rec eiving the Mustard repair is established allowing serial observation o f dilatation. However, simple and reliable echocardiographic predictio n of RVEF remains elusive in this age group.