Assessment of left ventricular performance during laparoscopy

Cardiovascular changes during laparoscopic surgery have been described in several studies. Pneumoperitoneum effects on cardiac performance instead have not been much investigated and are less known. The carbon dioxide insufflation necessary in order to perform laparoscopic procedures represents a higher force against which the myocardial fibers must shorten during ventricular contraction. Hypothesis of this study is that the intra-abdominal pressure at 12 mmHg could acutely affect the left ventricular wall stress and work. Aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of relationship pneumoperitoneum on the echocardiographic measures of left ventricular contractile function.