Left and right cardiac output difference in artificial heart under right output in physiological range

Abstract

Left and right cardiac output difference was investigated on six cases of artificial heart goats under right output in physiological range and on one case of normal control. In all cases left output was greater than right by 10 to 20% except for one case of severe regurgitation through remnant left ventricle in FTAH. The difference fluctuated in postoperative course and increased when pulsatile left artificial heart pump was changed to nonpulsatile centrifugal pump. These phenomena suggest that the difference is related to physical conditions of the animal. Bronchial-pulmonary shunt was considered to be the cause of the difference.