Use of a venous assist device after repair of complex lesions of the right heart

Sixteen patients underwent hemodynamic evaluation of a venous assist device after complex operations on the right side of the heart. The device consists of an inflatable abdominal binder attached to a Jobst extremity pump causing intermittent external compression of the abdomen. In addition, six of these patients were evaluated using total lower body compression for comparison. Modifications of the Fontan procedure were performed in 14 patients, mitral valve anuloplasty and tricuspid valve replacement in 1 patient and reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract for treatment of pulmonary atresia with intact septum in 1 patient. The patients' ages ranged from 23 months to 31 years (mean 10.7 +/- 1.8 years). Systemic blood pressure, right and left atrial pressures, heart rate and arterial-mixed venous oxygen saturation difference were recorded in each patient with and without the device in place. With the venous assist device, mean systolic pressure increased from 95 +/- 4 to 122 +/- 3 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and diastolic pressure rose from 57 +/- 3 to 70 +/- 3 mm Hg (p less than 0.05). Left atrial pressure increased from 7 +/- 1 to 15 +/- 1 mm Hg and right atrial pressure from 15 +/- 1 to 23 +/- 1 mm Hg (both p less than 0.05). In addition, arterial-mixed venous oxygen saturation difference decreased from 29% without the device to 23% with the device in place (p less than 0.05). Total lower body compression gave similar results to intermittent abdominal compression alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)