Speckle tracking echocardiography in evaluation of regional and global left ventricular systolic function early after lung resections

Objective: To quantify regional and global wall strain of left ventricular systolic function with speckle tracking echocardiography in patients undergoing lung resections. Methods: Seven patients undergoing pneumonectomy and 26 receiving lobectomy were evaluated with speckle tracking echocardiography before and 1 week after surgery. The standard apical four chamber view, apical two chamber view and long axis of left ventricle view were acquired. Eighteen segments of left ventricular longitudinal peak systolic strain and global peak systolic strain of each view were measured with 2D-SE analysis software. The preoperative values and postoperative ones were compared between the two groups. Results: (1) All parameters decreased after lung resections (P<0.05). (2)There was no significant difference of parameters between the two groups before surgery (P>0.05). Left ventricular posterior and lateral wall of longitudinal peak systolic strain and left ventricular longitudinal global peak systolic strain in the pneumonectomy group were significantly lower than those in the lobectomy group 1 week postoperatively (P<0.05), but the differences of the rest parameters were not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Speckle tracking echocardiography technology is an accurate, angle-independent new tool to quantify the regional and global myocardial systolic function of left ventricular wall. Pulmonary resection causes significant dysfunction of left ventricle in the early postoperative period. The more the lung resections, the more influence be produced on longitudinal peak systolic strain and left ventricular longitudinal global peak systolic strain in the left ventricular posterior and lateral wall.