Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI) consensus statement on perioperative assessment of right ventricular function.

Background: The right ventricle (RV) plays a central  role in the maintenance of effective cardiac pump function. Despite overwhelming evidence that perioperative RV dysfunction (RVD) and failure (RVF) are associated with poor clinical outcomes, there are very few published recommendations or guidelines for comprehensive, evidence-based RV assessment on the risk of developing either during the perioperative period.

Main Text: To address this gap, the Perioperative Quality Initiative-IX (POQI-IX) investigators group, comprised of clinical experts in anesthesiology, cardiovascular surgery, internal medicine, critical care medicine, and advanced practice nursing, has developed a consensus statement based on current literature, published society recommendations, and the clinical expertise of the group. Herein, the group provides recommendations and evidence-based tools related to perioperative RV assessment, functional screening, staging, and the clinical implications of each. These assessment tools are based on comprehensive patient evaluation consisting of physical examination, biomarker data, imaging, and hemodynamic assessment.

Conclusion: This review presents a comprehensive tool for assessing perioperative RV function. We hope that this simple, intuitive tool can be applied to all phases of perioperative care and thereby improve patient outcomes.