Assessment of pericardial constraint in dogs.

To determine the better method of measuring pericardial constraint, pericardial pressure was recorded by a liquid-filled open-ended catheter and a liquid-containing flat balloon in six open-chest anesthetized dogs. Left ventricular pressure was measured by a micromanometer-tipped catheter and left ventricular anteroposterior diameter was measured by sonomicrometry. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was raised to 20 +/- 1.7 (mean +/- SD) mm Hg by intravenous saline. Left ventricular diastolic pressure-diameter loops were constructed (1) with incremental amounts of saline (0 to 50 ml) in the resealed pericardium, (2) with several small holes in the pericardium, and (3) with the pericardium widely open. Measured pericardial pressures were compared with what was assumed to be the correct pericardial pressure, i.e., the calculated difference between left ventricular diastolic pressure (at a given left ventricular diameter) before and after opening the pericardium. Pressure recorded by the flat balloon was similar to the calculated pericardial pressure at all pericardial liquid volumes. Pressure recorded by the open-ended catheter, however, was significantly lower (p less than .05) than the calculated pressure unless there was at least 30 ml of liquid in the pericardium. After several holes had been made in the pericardium it still exerted a constraining effect, as shown by a marked rightward or downward shift of the left ventricular diastolic pressure-diameter relationships after completely opening the pericardium. After holes were made in the pericardium pressure recorded by the flat balloon was still similar to the calculated pericardial pressure. However, pressure recorded by the open-ended catheter was significantly (p less than .02) lower than the calculated pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)