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Published on: February 28, 2012
Mechanical Cardiac Support With an Implantable Direct Cardiac Compression Device: Proof of Concept
George V Letsou1, Christina M Bolch2, Erica C Hord2
1Baylor St Luke's Medical Center, Houston, Texas; Department of Surgery, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas.
Purpose:
We examined the hemodynamic effects of a new, implantable, direct cardiac assist device in an ovine heart failure model.
Description:
The device, which encompasses both left and right ventricles, is inserted through the pericardial apex and self-expands to encompass the heart without suturing. The intact pericardium anchors the device in place. The device has 2 concentric chamber layers: an internal chamber layer filled with fluid to conform to the heart and an external chamber layer filled with air that provides external compression and negative pressure to aid relaxation.
Evaluation:
The device was implanted in 7 sheep with heart failure induced by microsphere embolization. Cardiac performance was assessed for 6 to 8 hours. The cardiac assist device provided cardiac systolic and diastolic assistance, as shown by pressure tracings of the left ventricle and aorta, pulmonary artery flow, and +dP/dt. Central venous pressure decreased during cardiac assistance. No anatomic damage was noted postmortem.
Conclusions:
Systolic and diastolic cardiac assistance can be achieved with this device that compresses and relaxes in synchrony with the native cardiac cycle.
