6. Conclusions
Pressure-dimension index is a novel index that reflects both structural alterations and functional changes in the RV. Patients with a high preoperative PDI are at risk for postoperative short-term mortality and lower survival free of RVF after an LVAD implantation, and this increased mortality is presumed to be due to RVF. However, a high PDI was not suggestive of a poor long-term survival in LVAD patients. While PDI was found as an independent predictor of short-term survival or short-term survival free of RVF, it is uncertain whether it offers incremental usefulness over existing parameters for clinical decision-making and therefore further studies are needed to determine the role of PDI for identifying patients at-risk for post-LVAD RVF.