title: New continuous-flow total artificial heart and vascular permeability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We tested the short-term effects of completely nonpulsatile versus pulsatile circulation after ventricular excision and replacement with total implantable pumps in an animal model on peripheral vascular permeability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten calves underwent cardiac replacement with two HeartMate III continuous-flow rotary pumps. In five calves, the pump speed was rapidly modulated to impart a low-frequency pulse pressure in the physiologic range (10-25 mm Hg) at a rate of 40 pulses per minute (PP). The remaining five calves were supported with a pulseless systemic circulation and no modulation of pump speed (NP). Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained before cardiac replacement (baseline) and on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 7, and 14. Skeletal muscle-tissue water content was measured, and morphologic alterations of skeletal muscle were assessed. VE-cadherin, phospho-VE-cadherin, and CD31 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant changes in tissue water content and skeletal muscle morphology within group or between groups at baseline, PODs 1, 7, and 14, respectively. There were no significant alterations in the expression and/or distribution of VE-cadherin, phospho-VE-cadherin, and CD31 in skeletal muscle vasculature at baseline, PODs 1, 7, and 14 within each group or between the two groups, respectively. Although continuous-flow total artificial heart (CFTAH) with or without a pulse pressure caused slight increase in tissue water content and histologic damage scores at PODs 7 and 14, it failed to reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant adherens-junction protein degradation and phosphorylation in calf skeletal muscle microvasculature after CFTAH implantation, suggesting that short term of CFTAH with or without pulse pressure did not cause peripheral endothelial injury and did not increase the peripheral microvascular permeability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parnis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Neel R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sodha
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sellke
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: O Howard
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Electronic address: fsellke@lifespan.org.
authors.forename: Frank W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Sellke
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002417:Cattle; D004487:Edema; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D018056:Hemorheology; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D000099152:Cadherin 5
keywords: Adherens-junction protein; Continuous-flow total artificial heart; Tissue edema; Total cardiac replacement device; Vascular permeability