title: Impact of valves in a biomechanical heart model assisting failing hearts.
abstract: Experimental valveless muscular blood pumps (biomechanical hearts) in goats can pump more than 1 L.min(-1), but due to a high pendulum volume, no significant flow contribution to the circulation is gained. Thus valved and valveless biomechanical hearts were compared for efficacy. Heart failure was induced in 5 adult Bore goats by repeated intracoronary embolization. A valved and balloon-equipped pumping chamber was integrated into the descending aorta, simulating standard biomechanical circulatory support. The valveless biomechanical heart supported a failing heart with a baseline cardiac output of 2,670 +/- 710 mL.min(-1) by contributing additional flow of 113 +/- 37 mL.min(-1). The biomechanical heart model incorporating an outlet valve offered an additional 304 +/- 126 mL.min(-1), and the use of 2 valves significantly enhanced pulmonary blood flow by 1,235 +/- 526 mL.min(-1). The use of 2 valves in biomechanical hearts seems to be essential to achieve adequate circulatory support. Double-valved biomechanical hearts driven by an appropriate skeletal muscle ventricle may contribute to the therapy of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiac Surgery University of Schleswig-Holstein Luebeck, Germany. guldner@uni-luebeck.de
authors.forename: Norbert W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Guldner
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klapproth
authors.forename: Petra R J
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Margaritoff
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sievers
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grossherr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002302:Cardiac Output; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006041:Goats; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006439:Hemodynamics; D008422:Materials Testing; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation