Effect of the Pericardium on Left Ventricular Volume and Function in Acute Hypervolaemia*.

The effect of acute volume overload was studied in 20 dogs, nine of which had undergone pericardiectomy. End-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular volumes, as determined by biplane angiocardiography, were significantly higher, and the ejected fraction relatively lower in the pericardiectomized group. It is concluded that the pericardium prevents excessive left ventricular dilatation and impairment of the ventricular function during acute hypervolaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]