Altered Ventricular Mechanics in Cardiac Allografts: A Tissue Doppler Study in 30 Children Without Prior Rejection Events

Regional wall motion analysis shows significant alterations of the fundamental biomechanical pump function of the left ventricle after heart transplantation in children, with a shift from longitudinal to radial fibers and depressed right ventricular wall motion. This may have important implications for the long-term graft function required in children.