The changes in pattern of myocardial shortening by reduction of regional coronary blood flow

The relationship between the grade of a decrease in the regional coronary blood flow and the movement of ventricular myocardium of that region was investigated in open chest dog. Blood flow in left anterior descending artery (FLAD) was reduced by stepwise constriction of LAD with ligature. Ventricular segment length was measured in a circumferential plane on the endocardial surface by ultrasonic dimension system. For the elimination of the noise caused by ultrasonic dimension system, the synchronizer was inserted between sample clock of the dimension system and the trigger circuit of the electromagnetic flowmeter. A 20% reduction of FLAD affected the pattern of ischemic myocardial shortening very little. Discontinuance of shortening to the end of systole was occurred by a 20 to 60% reduction in FLAD. Early and/or late systolic bulging was induced by a 60% reduction of FLAD. Systolic bulging with early diastolic shortening was seen in the cases with a 60 to 80% reduction in FLAD. Frank systolic bulging which was always seen by complete occlusion of LAD was produced by a 60 to 90% reduction of FLAD in few cases.