A Method of Perfusing an Isolated Rabbit-heart, with Simultaneous Pressure. recordings of the Aorta, Vena Cava, Pulmonary Artery and Pulmonary Vein

Abstract

For the analytical investigation on an isolated mammalian heart, a method of perfusing the heart was devised, with which the heart could manifest its activities sufficiently as in the body.
The method furnishes the heart with 2 systems, these being connected with each other in series as in the body: One system corresponds to the pulmonary circulation and the other to the systemic circulation. For the perfusion, one perfusion generator and three pulse-generator arrangements are devised. The perfusion generator serves to flow the perfusate through the whole perfusion systems-aortic-cava and pulmonary passages, some part of the perfusate being introduced directly into the coronary circulation system. Two pulse-generators are used to give pulsatory changes to the perfusing stream in the aortic and the pulmonary venous passages, if necessary, and one is used chiefly for coronary flow measurement.
The method presented here may be regarded as a beginning for the analytical investigation on the heart with regard not only to its physical properties, but also to its metabolic and pharmacological characteristics.