Lack of effect of synthetic pericardial substitute on right ventricular function after coronary artery bypass surgery. An echocardiographic and magnetic resonance imaging study.

Abnormal right heart function after cardiac surgery is a well-known finding. Inadequate preservation during the operation and restricted cardiac motion due to pericardial adhesions have been proposed as underlying mechanisms. This study focuses on the impact of a pericardial substitute implantation on right ventricular function, using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. A test group of six patients (mean age 54 years) was examined before surgery, and 4-15 days and 5-9 months after coronary artery bypass surgery, where the pericardium was closed with a biodegradable pericardial patch. A group of 11 patients (mean age 63 years) in whom the pericardium was left open served as controls. Tricuspid annulus motion was markedly decreased, abnormal septal motion was present and decreased systolic to diastolic ratio in the vena cava superior flow was present in all patients in both groups one week after surgery. At the late follow-up, all patients still had decreased tricuspid annulus motion, while 17% of the patients in the test group and 22% of the patients in the control group (ns) demonstrated normal septal motion. We conclude that closing the pericardium with a biodegradable patch does not affect the postoperative changes in right heart function normally seen after open-heart surgery.