The Right Ventricle in Congenital Heart Diseases

Right ventricular function is an important determinant of prognosis and outcome in congenital heart diseases. Right ventricular (RV) adaptation to congenital heart diseases (CHD) has many faces as there is a wide variety in defects involving the right ventricle as well as in treatment strategies. This variety induces differences in loading conditions and also changes over time as a result of surgical interventions. Also, treatment practice has evolved changing the nature and outcome of survivors of CHD. Lastly, several lesions also affect the left ventricle (LV) that may interact with RV function and thereby change the RV function.