The Accuracy of Electrical Cardiometry for the Noninvasive Determination of Cardiac Output before and after Lung Surgeries Compared to Transthoracic Echocardiography

BACKGROUND: The anatomical changes associated with lung surgeries may decrease cardiac output and heart function. Therefore, monitoring of cardiac output (CO) is of significant value in these patients for clinical decision-making. OBJECTIVE: This study is to evaluate the reliability of electrical cardiometry (EC) for the noninvasive continuous determination of CO after lobectomy or pneumonectomy compared to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 60 patients, age ≥18 years scheduled for elective lung surgery (lobectomy or pneumonectomy). All patients underwent simultaneous measurement by EC using the ICON_ device and by TTE by measuring left ventricle outflow tract diameter (LVOT) and velocity time integral (VTI). Heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), stroke volume (SV), stroke volume index (SVI), CO, and cardiac index (CI) were measured 1 day before the surgery and 7 days after the surgery. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between TTE and EC regarding preoperative and postoperative HR, SV, SVI, CO, and CI. There was a strong positive correlation between TTE and EC as regard preoperative and postoperative HR, SV, SVI, CO, and CI. Bland and Altman analysis showed low bias with accepted limits of agreement of HR, SV, SVI, CO, and CI. Postoperative readings showed a significant increase in HR and a significant decrease in SV and CO (either by TTE or EC), SBP, and DBP as compared to preoperative reading. CONCLUSION: Compared to the TTE, EC provides accurate and reliable CO, SV, and HR measurements before and even after lung surgeries.