Abstract
The efficacy of dynamic cardiomyoplasty was investigated in acute experimental studies. Synchronous contraction of the sutured skeletal muscle increased stroke volume of the left ventricle and maximum elastance (Emax), which showed that dynamic cardiomyoplasty is able to assist the cardiac function of the native heart. No adverse effect on the diastolic function was observed during the contraction of the skeletal muscle. After wrapping the latissimus dorsi muscle around each heart of the animals, chronic experimental models were prepared with “single pulse stimulation” of the skeletal muscle for more than 3 months. In the chronic experimental models, synchronous contraction of the skeletal muscle produced systolic augmentation in the hemodynamic study. Only minimal degeneration of the skeletal muscle was observed after a 3-month period. As long as the patient is properly selected, dynamic cardiomyoplasty can be an effective surgical procedure for patients with severe heart failure.
