Evaluation of the anatomical and electrical axis of the heart after pneumonectomy

Aim: To investigate the position of the heart after pneumonectomy and, also to find out how the changes in the electrical axis of the heart contribute for the possible electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with pneumonectomy were included to this observational study. To calculate the rotation of the heart and angle measurement two perpendicular lines, one septal and another atrioventricular, were drawn on the images acquired from thoracic computed tomography. Thoracic CT were taken at every 3 months for the first two years. On electrocardiograms net QRS vectors, amplitudes of p waves, findings of right and left ventricular hypertrophy, and other possible changes were recorded. Results: The mean age of all patients was 55.51 [+ or -] 8.9. Right pneumectomy was performed in 40 (57%) and left pneumonectomy in 30 cases (43%) cases. There was no significant change regarding both the angle of rotation and the amount of pleural effusion between the findings of the second and first year after the operation. The QRS shift was significantly more pronounced in patients with left pneumonectomies than right pneumonectomies. On echocardiography these cases showed right ventricular hypertrophy and increased pulmonary artery pressures in the second year when compared to the preoperative period. Conclusions: The current study showed that many significant changes occurred in the electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters of the heart after pneumonectomy. Key words: Pneumonectomy, heart, anatomy, electrical axis, computed tomography, electrocardiography, and echocardiography.