title: Median sternotomy approach for chronic bovine experiments.
abstract: Lateral thoracotomy is the traditional surgical approach for preclinical animal testing of various ventricular assist devices. Median sternotomy, however, is regarded from a functional standpoint as the most appropriate approach for cardiac surgical procedures, particularly for device implantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of performing a median sternotomy in chronic bovine studies. Three chronic studies using the sternotomy approach were performed. Surgical access was compared to the lateral thoracotomy approach used in three other animal experiments. Postoperative speed of recovery, pain management, sternotomy incision, and monitoring line exit site healing and infection were also evaluated. With sternotomy, better surgical access to all cardiac chambers and great vessels and more room for device placement were achieved. The recovery time was similar to that using the lateral thoracotomy approach, with no additional difficulties observed in standing or recumbency and no need for increased pain management. At the time of autopsy, the sternum was well healed without any sign of infection. In conclusion, these studies showed that a median sternotomy can be used successfully for chronic bovine studies. This approach will be used for our future biventricular assist device implantation surgeries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Diyar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Roula
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zahr
authors.forename: Shanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shalli
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fumoto
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horai
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anzai
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dessoffy
authors.forename: Jacquelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catanese
authors.forename: Leonard A R
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukamachi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods*