Background: Skeletal muscle ventricles (SMVs) have been used in animals in a variety of configurations to provide circulatory assistance. Long-term survival and function have been demonstrated. Our laboratory recently obtained promising short-term hemodynamic data in a left ventricular apex-to-aorta model.
Methods and results: SMVs were constructed from the left latissimus dorsi muscle in five adult mongrel dogs. After a 3-week period of vascular delay and 5 to 7 weeks of electrical conditioning, valved conduits were used to connect the left ventricular apex to the SMV and the SMV to the descending aorta. The SMV was then stimulated to contract during cardiac diastole. Initial measurements showed a significant increase in the mean femoral diastolic pressure (62 +/- 6 versus 51 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < .05). There was also a decrease in the left ventricular tension-time index (11.5 +/- 2.5 versus 14.6 +/- 2.1 mm Hg.s, P < .05), indicating a decrease in the work requirement of the left ventricle. During SMV stimulation, the majority of flow (65%) was through the SMV circuit and was associated with reversal of flow in the proximal descending thoracic aorta. The longest-surviving animal survived 76 days, at which time pressure augmentation was still seen (mean femoral diastolic pressure, 63 +/- 0.9 versus 50 +/- 1.2 mm Hg, P < .05).
Conclusions: Survival beyond the acute setting is possible with this model. Diastolic pressure augmentation can be effectively maintained over time.