Surgical technique for cardiomyoplasty and iterative transthoracic biopsies in an experimental goat model

Cardiomyoplasty is a new surgical procedure using transformed skeletal muscle to reinforce or substitute for the myocardium. For the purpose of studying surgical technique and investigating basic questions, we have developed a model of reinforcement cardiomyoplasty. Herein, we describe anesthetic management, surgical technique, and the technique for iterative transthoracic biopsies. This model has proven to be valuable in several long-term studies involving more than 30 goats. Preliminary data to ascertain the efficacy of the proposed technique are provided.