A ventricular assist device powered by conditioned skeletal muscle

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 780 - 784
• Main Authors: Whalen, Robert L, Richards, Christopher L, Lim, Gilbert W, Sherman, Craig W, Norman, John C, Bearnson, Gill B, Burns, Gregory L, Olsen, Donald B
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Electric Stimulation; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Equipment Design; Heart-Assist Devices; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Stroke Volume; Intensive cardiocirculatory care; Cardiocirculatory support; Calf; Instrumentation therapy; Ox; Exploration; Heart ventricle; Latissimus dorsi muscle; Instrumental stimulation; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Artiodactyla; Hemodynamics; Technique; Ungulata
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(99)00615-3
• ISSN: 0003-4975

Background. We are developing and testing a new ventricular assist device (VAD) to be powered by conditioned skeletal muscle. Methods. To evaluate the VAD hardware and to develop a muscle training regimen, 8 calves have been used in studies in which the right latissimus dorsi muscle was employed. The experiments were carried out to an approximately 4-month duration. Results. There was significant conversion of type II (fast twitch) to type I (slow twitch) muscle fibers. This did not correlate well, however, with device performance. The device stroke volumes ranged from approximately 17 to 90 cc. This variability of outcome occurred despite the fact that identical hardware, surgical procedures, and training regimens were employed. Conclusions. The results from the first eight studies lead us to speculate that perfusion may be important even when the muscle is working at pressures much lower than systemic blood pressure levels. In an attempt to augment tissue perfusion, we plan to investigate thermally induced angiogenesis as a possible mechanism for increasing blood flow to the tissue.