Skeletal muscle ventricles: another alternative for heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Autologous muscle has the potential of generating power for cardiac assistance. Problems with muscle fatigue have been overcome by the development of successful protocols of electrical conditioning and by allowing a recovery interval after the initial harvest.


METHODS
Our laboratory has pursued research with latissimus dorsi muscle pouches, which we term skeletal muscle ventricles (SMVs). By allowing several weeks for a "vascular delay" interval and then electrically conditioning the muscle, these pouches can be connected to the circulation and stimulated to assist the heart.


RESULTS
These pouches have been developed and tested in the canine model in numerous configurations, achieving survival beyond 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Although still experimental, SMVs may have the potential of becoming a viable alternative for the future treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure and with infants with certain congenital anomalies.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Institute of Japan & Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
H
H
Niinami
K
K
Greer
H
H
Koyanagi
L
L
Stephenson
D000818:Animals; D001415:Back; D018421:Cardiomyoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000637:transplantation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous