Korean J Intern Med.  2010 Jun;25(2):147-153. 10.3904/kjim.2010.25.2.147.

Characteristics of Double-Chambered Right Ventricle in Adult Patients

• Choi YJ
• Park SW

• KMID: 1785671
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2010.25.2.147

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
This study evaluated the clinical features of double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) in adults. Most cases of DCRV are diagnosed and treated during childhood. Consequently, very few reports include cases in which its clinical characteristics are evident in adults. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data for 10 adult patients (age > or = 18 years) with DCRV. RESULTS: Electrocardiogram showed right ventricular hypertrophy in 3 DCRV patients. All cases were associated with ventricular septal defect (VSD; 7 for perimembranous, 2 for muscular outlet, and 1 for the subarterial type). Surgical correction was done for 7 DCRV patients all of whom survived operations. Their follow-up echocardiogram showed the pressure gradient in their right ventricle was significantly decreased from 69.4 +/- 17.2 mmHg preoperatively to 10.2 +/- 5.0 mmHg postoperatively (p < 0.05). In the short-term follow-up, there was no significant increase in the pressure gradient in the right ventricle. CONCLUSIONS: There are lots of cases of DCRV that are not diagnosed accurately in adults. In our experience, all DCRV cases had VSD and surgical correction of these cases showed excellent results. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of DCRV is necessary so that DCRV is not overlooked and operations are enabled within an appropriate time.

Keyword

Double outlet right ventricle; Heart defects, congenital; Heart ventricles; Ventricular outflow obstruction

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Echocardiography, Doppler
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Catheterization
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular/*diagnosis/*surgery
Heart Ventricles
Humans
Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular/*diagnosis/*surgery
Male
Middle Aged
Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/*diagnosis/*surgery
Young Adult