Objective  To investigate the early application value of echocardiography(UCG) after orthotopic heart transplantation(OHT).

  Methods  A total of 29 patients were monitored by UCG early after OHT. On the 1^st, 7^th, 14^th, 30^th day after operation, the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd) and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVDd), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) and the tricuspid regurgitation area (TRA) were measured, and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricle Tei index(LV-Tei) were calculated. The blood pressures (BP), central venous pressure (CVP) of the patients were recorded simultaneously.

  Results  The LVDd were larger on the 7^th, 14^th and 30^th day after operation, while the RVDd were smaller, compared with those on the 1^st day after operation (all in P < 0.05). The IVST, LVPWT were lower on the 1^th, 14^th and 30^th day after operation, compared with those on the 7th day after operation (all in P < 0.05). The BP, CVP, LV-Tei were all significantly lower on the 1^st, 14^th and 30^th day after operation, compared with those on the 7th day after operation (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in LVEF between each time points(P>0.05). The tricuspid regurgitation was detected in 3-4 d after operation by UCG, and the TRA reached the peak value(9.2±2.5)cm² in 5-8 d after operation, then gradually decreased to (4.7±2.4)cm² at 1 month after operation.

  Conclusions  Early phase after OHT, the structure and function of transplanted heart can be monitored effectively by echocardiography, and it can timely provide multiple parameters as the basis of diagnosis and treatment for clinical doctors.