Efficacy of a biomechanical counterpulsation device powered by skeletal muscle for right heart assist.
A valveless, single-orifice counterpulsation device powered by skeletal muscle was applied to the pulmonary artery for right heart assist. Latissimus dorsi muscles of six dogs had been electrically conditioned for four months in advance (Group 1); the muscles of eight dogs were not preconditioned (Group 2). A polyvinyl chloride balloon was placed beneath the latissimus dorsi muscle and connected to the left pulmonary artery using a noncollapsing graft. Latissimus dorsi muscle was paced synchronously to the cardiac cycle to produce pulmonary artery diastolic augmentation. Percent changes in diastolic augmentation pressure (% DAP) in the main PA was measured. Percent DAP after 180 min assistance was 91 +/- 10% in Group 1, whereas it decreased to 17 +/- 12% in Group 2 (p less than 0.001). These results demonstrate that electrically conditioned skeletal muscle is effective as a power source in right heart assist.
Doi
T
T
Department of Surgery, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Mitsui
T
T
Matsushita
S
S
Tsutsui
T
T
Hori
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015908:Counterpulsation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004285:Dogs; D004867:Equipment Design; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*