title: A Plasma-Based, Amiodarone-Impregnated Material Decreases Susceptibility to Atrial Fibrillation in a Post-Cardiac Surgery Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to test the impact of a plasma-based, material (PBM) impregnated with amiodarone on atrial electrophysiology and atrial fibrillation susceptibility in a porcine post-cardiac surgery model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten healthy pigs underwent implantation of transvenous pacing systems, after which sterile talc was infused into the pericardial sac via a pericardiotomy. In five animals, PBM was applied to the atrial epicardial surface just before talc infusion. Electrophysiologic evaluations were performed using the pacing system immediately after chest closure and 7 days later. Atrial histologic evaluations were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immediately after chest closure, there were no significant differences in electrophysiologic parameters between talc-only and talc + PBM animals, and atrial fibrillation was largely noninducible. On postsurgical day 7, electrophysiologic evaluation revealed significantly shorter sinus cycle length and atrioventricular nodal refractoriness among talc-only animals relative to talc + PBM animals, possibly suggesting attenuated sympathetic nervous system activation in the latter. Atrial fibrillation inducibility and duration were significantly greater among talc-only animals. No significant differences in atrial refractoriness or conduction time between groups were apparent. Histologic evaluation revealed a relative reduction in epicardial inflammation and less myolysis among talc + PBM animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epicardial application of a plasma-based, amiodarone-impregnated material was associated with a significant reduction in atrial inflammation and susceptibility to fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: From the *Heart, Lung and Vascular Medicine Institute and †Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA; ‡Carmell Therapeutics Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA USA; and §Institute for Complex Engineered Systems, ∥Robotics Institute, and ¶Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwartzman
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Badhwar
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kormos
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Phil G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Lee E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine; D013627:Talc / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D013627:Talc; D000638:Amiodarone