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Skeletal muscle as a myocardial substitute
K A Greer1, D R Anderson, R L Hammond
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Summary
Skeletal muscle is being explored for cardiac assistance to help heart failure patients. Techniques include shaping muscle into a pumping chamber or cardiomyoplasty to support the failing heart.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Irreversible heart failure affects over 10,000 US patients annually, with a 50% 1-year mortality rate.
- Current treatments like medical therapy, heart transplantation, and artificial hearts have limitations in effectiveness, cost, and availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate skeletal muscle as a viable option for cardiac augmentation and assistance.
- To explore novel approaches for improving outcomes in patients with severe heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Developing methods to shape skeletal muscle into a functional pumping chamber to aid the failing myocardium.
- Utilizing cardiomyoplasty, involving wrapping the latissimus dorsi muscle around the heart for synchronized contraction.
Main Results:
- Over 500 patients have undergone cardiomyoplasty globally, indicating clinical application of skeletal muscle-based cardiac assistance.
- These methods represent principal strategies for skeletal muscle cardiac assistance, offering alternatives to existing treatments.
Conclusions:
- Skeletal muscle offers a promising alternative for cardiac assistance in heart failure.
- Further research and application of these techniques can improve the quality of life and survival rates for heart failure patients.