Hemodynamic response with an artificial myocardial assistance in chronic animal examination

Abstract

Thromboembolic and haemorrhagic complications are the primary causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with artificial hearts, which are known to be induced by the interactions between blood flow and artificial material surfaces. The authors have been develo** a new mechanical artificial myocardial assist device by using a sophisticated shape memory alloy fibre in order to achieve the mechanical cardiac support from outside of the heart without a direct blood contacting surface. The original material employed as the actuator of artificial myocardial assist devices was 100um fibred-shaped, which was composed of covalent and metallic bonding structure and designed to generate 4-7 % by Joule heating induced by the electric current input. Prior to the experiment, the myocardial streamlines were investigated by using a MDCT, and the design of artificial myocardial assist devices were refined based on the concept of Torrent-Guasp’s myocardial band theory. As the hydrodynamic or hemodynamic examination exhibited the remarkable increase of cardiac systolic work by the assistance of the artificial myocardial contraction in the originally designed mock circulatory system as well as in the acute animal experiments, the chronic animal test has been started in a goat. Total weight of the device including the actuator was around 150g, and the electric power was supplied percutaneously. The device could be successfully installed into thoracic cavity, which was able to be girdling the left ventricle. In the chronic animal trial, the complication in respect to the diastolic dysfunction by the artificial myocardial compression was not observed. Systolic pressure and aortic flow waveforms were elevated by the assistance using the device contraction synchronously by around 5%. And blood pressure response against the increase of aortic pressure was investigated under the myocardial assisted condition in order to examine the vascular tone which was controlled by vagal nervous activity.