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Protection of the Right Heart

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New Solutions for the Heart

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Abstract

Until recently, right ventricular failure (RVF) was a relatively neglected medical condition. The right ventricle was considered as a moderately passive conduit between the systemic and pulmonary circulations. This belief was supported by studies showing that complete destruction of the right ventricular free wall in dogs had no detectable impairment on overall cardiac performance (Starr et al.). However, precipitating factors for right ventricular failure are common in the clinical praxis of cardiothoracic surgery and intensive care medicine. These include increased pulmonary resistance, such as after cardiac transplantation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, the presence of left ventricular assist device, positive pressure mechanical ventilation and sepsis. Therefore it can be speculated that there is a higher incidence of right ventricular failure than generally recognized.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Herzchirurgie, Chirurgische Universitätsklinik, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Gábor Szabó

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  1. Gábor Szabó
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  1. , Department of Cardiac Surgery, Landesklinikum St. Pölten, Propst Führerstraße 4, St. Pölten, 3100, Austria

    Bruno K. Podesser

  2. St Thomas Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom

    David J. Chambers

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Szabó, G. (2011). Protection of the Right Heart. In: Podesser, B., Chambers, D. (eds) New Solutions for the Heart. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-85548-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-85548-5_6

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