Early Peri-operative Right Ventricle Dysfunction Following Major Lung Resection

Major lung resection is associated with high post-operative morbidity and mortality and significant long-term decreased functional capacity, especially due to cardiorespiratory complications.

RV (Right Ventricle) ejection, pulmonary artery pressure and tone are tightly coupled. The RV is exquisitely sensitive to changes in afterload. When pulmonary vascular reserve is compromised RV ejection may be also compromised, increasing right atrial pressure and limiting maximal cardiac output. Acute increase in RV outflow resistance, as may occur with acute pulmonary embolism will cause acute RV dilatation and, by ventricular interdependence, markedly decreased LV (Left Ventricle) compliance, rapidly spiraling to acute cardiogenic shock and death.

Most of the studies on RV function after lung resection are small and have found different results, and sometimes conflicting findings. As far as the investigators know, there are no data on the incidence of the RV dysfunction after major lung resection (pneumonectomy/bilobectomy) and it's not clear if there is some direct association between the RV dysfunction and post-operative complications. If so, early detection of RV dysfunction after major lung resection could provide the opportunity for interventional therapy with consequent possible improvement of these patients' prognosis.