title: Starfish™ heart positioner maintains right ventricular function during lateral wall displacement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  : The authors examined parameters of cardiovascular function using Starfish and deep pericardial sutures (DPS) in a beating heart porcine model and to clarify toleration of right ventricular function with Starfish in lateral wall displacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  : Eight healthy pigs were used. In addition to normal pressure monitor catheters, a Swan-Ganz continuous cardiac output (CO) and end diastolic volume thermodilution catheter was used for precise and quantitative monitoring of the right ventricular function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : Lateral displacement of the heart with DPS resulted in a significant hemodynamic compromise. Cardiac output and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) decreased from 3.0 ± 0.9 to 2.6 ± 1.0 L/min (P = 0.014) and from 27.9 ± 3.0% to 23.3 ± 4.8% (P = 0.019). With Starfish™, CO and RVEF were maintained from 3.0 ± 0.9 to 3.0 ± 0.9 L/min (P = 0.743) and from 27.9 ± 3.0% to 28.3 ± 3.8% (P = 0.476).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : Starfish™ contributed to the stability of hemodynamics by maintaining the right ventricular function. Lateral displacement with PDS resulted in significant hemodynamic compromised compared with Starfish™ and baseline neutral position.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohtake
authors.forename: Takuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terada