An abdominal left ventricular assist device: preclinical studies

An abdominally positioned left ventricular assist device (ALVAD) has been evaluated in our most recent series of 25 calves weighing 99 plus or minus 12 kg. The ALVAD is a pneumatically actuated bladder pump, positioned subdiaphragmatically and connected between the left ventricular apex and the infrarenal abdominal aorta. The mean survival time in the calves was 41 days and the longest 65 days. The major effects of the pump are reduction of all indices of left ventricular work and increases in systemic perfusion. In the awake, unanesthetized calf, left ventricular pressure, dP/dt, and stroke work were decreased while peak aortic pressure, stroke volume, and cardiac output increased. These effects were corroborated at cardiac catheterization two to four weeks postoperatively; left ventriculograms also showed increases in ejection fraction. These data demonstrate the ALVAD's effectiveness in assuming left ventricular function and support over extended periods. The device has been developed for short-term postoperative clinical use in patients with reversible left ventricular failure.