Right ventricular functional assessment by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography is useful for withdrawal from a right ventricular assist device: a case report

Right ventricular assist device (RVAD) implantation is one type of surgical treatment used for right heart failure. It is important to assess right ventricular (RV) function precisely when RVAD withdrawal is considered. Although assessment of RV function is difficult due to its complicated shape and contraction pattern, the volumetric analysis method of three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been developed and is useful for this task. We report the case of a 79-year-old man who successfully underwent RVAD withdrawal and evaluation using 3D TEE. 3D TEE had an important role in determining the timing of withdrawal from RVAD in this case.