The Distensibility of the Human Vena Cava and Its Importance to In Vitro Studies of Venous Compression Syndromes: A Search for a Suitable Polymer for 3-Dimensional Printing.

BACKGROUND: Venous compression syndromes are clinical conditions in which the large veins are compressed by other anatomical structures. Laboratory simulations may help us better understand the hemodynamics in venous compressions by creating situations similar to those seen in vivo. The aim of this study is to produce a model of the caval bifurcation using a polymer with distensibility similar to the human vena cava. METHODS: Fragments of the inferior vena cava were collected from 13 deceased kidney donors (aged 15-37 years) and were tested for deformation (strain) when subjected to distension at 50 N/cm2. Strips of 5 different polymers-thermic polyurethane and Agilus30 with Vero Magenta (AV) (in 3 different hardnesses) and silicone-were subjected to the same biomechanical tests and compared with the vena cava. A model of the caval bifurcation was produced with 3-D printing. RESULTS: The deformation (strain) of the vena cava wall was 0.16 ± 0.9 when submitted to stress close to 50 N/cm2. Silicone showed a strain higher than the standard deviation of venous fragments. The strain of AV resin 95 Shore was lower than the standard deviation of the venous fragments. AV Resins 70 and 85 Shore showed strains within the standard deviation of the venous specimen, with 70 Shore being closest to the mean venous strain. Therefore, this material was selected for modeling the caval bifurcation. The computed tomography scan image generated a computer model of the caval bifurcation and was printed in 3 dimensions. In addition, the segments of 2 adjacent vertebrae were also printed to reference the compression site. CONCLUSIONS: The 3-D printing of large veins can produce models with anatomy and biomechanics similar to those of human veins and opens a field of investigation into the hemodynamics of venous compression syndromes. Polymers with Shore A70 appear to have biomechanical properties similar to those of the vena cava wall. The model obtained in this study can be used in several in vitro studies of May-Thurner Syndrome.

Comparative study of strategies to prevent esophageal and periesophageal injury during atrial fibrillation ablation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of esophageal and periesophageal thermal injury in patients undergoing radiofrequency (RF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using 8 mm tip catheters during three different esophageal protection strategies. METHODS: Forty-five consecutive patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF underwent first ablation procedure, besides esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) combined with radial endosonography (EUS) performed before and after the pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. Before the procedure, patients were randomly assigned to one of three esophageal lesion protection strategies: group I-without any protective or monitoring dispositive and limiting RF applications to 30 W for 20 seconds, in left atrium posterior wall (LAPW); group II-power and time of RF delivery, up to 50 W for 20 seconds at LAPW, limited by esophageal temperature monitoring; group III-applications of RF in LAPW with fixed power application of 50 W for 20 seconds during continuous esophageal cooling. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of patients were similar in all groups. The four PVs were isolated in 14 (93.3%), 13 (86.7%), and 15 (100%) patients, respectively in groups I, II, and III. The mean RF power was significantly higher (P < .001) in the posterior side of PVs in group III. Post-AF ablation EGD and EUS revealed two esophageal wall ulcerations and two periesophageal mediastinal edemas only in the esophageal cooling group (P = .008). CONCLUSION: Esophageal cooling balloon strategy resulted in a higher RF power energy delivery when ablating at the LA posterior wall, using 8 mm nonirrigated tip catheters under temperature mode control. Despite that, patients presented a relatively low incidence of esophageal and periesophaeal injuries.

Integrated molecular, biochemical, and physiological assessment unravels key extraction method mediated influences on rat neonatal cardiomyocytes.

Neonatal cardiomyocytes are instrumental for disease modeling, but the effects of different cell extraction methods on basic cell biological processes remain poorly understood. We assessed the influence of two popular methods to extract rat neonatal cardiomyocytes, Pre-plating (PP), and Percoll (PC) on cell structure, metabolism, and function. Cardiomyocytes obtained from PP showed higher gene expression for troponins, titin, and potassium and sodium channels compared to PC. Also, PP cells displayed higher levels of troponin I protein. Cells obtained from PC displayed higher lactate dehydrogenase activity and lactate production than PP cells, indicating higher anaerobic metabolism after 8 days of culture. In contrast, reactive oxygen species levels were higher in PP cells as indicated by ethidium and hydroxyethidium production. Consistent with these data, protein nitration was higher in PP cells, as well as nitrite accumulation in cell medium. Moreover, PP cells showed higher global intracellular calcium under basal and 1 mM isoprenaline conditions. In a calcium-transient assessment under electrical stimulation (0.5 Hz), PP cells displayed higher calcium amplitude than cardiomyocytes obtained from PC and using a traction force microscope technique we observed that PP cardiomyocytes showed the highest relaxation. Collectively, we demonstrated that extraction methods influence parameters related to cell structure, metabolism, and function. Overall, PP derived cells are more active and mature than PC cells, displaying higher contractile function and generating more reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, PC derived cells display higher anaerobic metabolism, despite comparable high yields from both protocols.

In Vitro Evaluation of Pediatric Hollow-Fiber Membrane Oxygenators on Hemodynamic Performance and Gaseous Microemboli Handling: An International Multicenter/Multidisciplinary Approach.

The objective of this study was to compare the hemodynamic performances and gaseous microemboli (GME) handling ability of two pediatric oxygenators in a simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) model and the importance of adding an arterial filter in the circuit. The circuit consisted of a Braile Infant oxygenator or a Maquet Quadrox-I Pediatric oxygenator without integrated arterial filter (parallel arrangement), 1/4 in. ID tubing A-V loop, and a 12-Fr arterial cannula, primed with lactated Ringer's solution and packed red blood cells. Trials were conducted at flow rates ranging from 500 to 2000 mL/min (500 mL/min increment) at 35°C and 28°C. Real-time pressure and flow data were recorded using a custom-based data acquisition system. For GME testing, 5 cc of air was manually injected into the venous line. GME were recorded using the Emboli Detection and Classification Quantifier (EDAC) System. An additional experiment using a separate arterial filter was conducted. There was no difference in the mean circuit pressure, pressure drop, total hemodynamic energy level, and energy loss between the two oxygenators. The venous line pressures were higher in the Braile than in the Quadrox group during all trials (P <0.01). GME count and volume at pre-/post oxygenator and pre-cannula sites in the Quadrox were lower than the Braile group at high flow rates (P < 0.05). In the additional experiment, an arterial filter captured a significant number of microemboli at all flow rates. The Braile Infant oxygenator has a matched hemodynamic characteristic with the Quadrox-i Pediatric oxygenator. The Quadrox-i has a better GME handling ability compared with the Braile Infant oxygenator. Regardless of type of oxygenator an additional arterial filter decreases the number of GME.

Behavior of lyophilized biological valves in a chronic animal model.

Glutaraldehyde is used in order to improve the mechanical and immunogenic properties of biological tissues, such as bovine pericardium membranes, used to manufacture heart valve bioprostheses. Lyophilization, also known as freeze-drying, preserves biological material without damage by freezing the water content and removing ice by sublimation. Through this process, dehydrated products of high quality may be obtained; also, the material may be easily handled. The lyophilization process reduces aldehyde residues in biological tissue previously treated with glutaraldehyde, thus promoting reduction of cytotoxicity, increasing resistance to inflammation, and possibly decreasing the potential for tissue calcification. The objective of this study was to chronically evaluate the calcification of bovine pericardium heart valve prostheses, previously lyophilized or not, in an animal model. Six-month-old sheep received implants of lyophilized and unlyophilized heart valve prostheses in the pulmonary position with right bypass. The study followed 16 animals for a period of 90 days. Right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV/PA) transvalvular pressure gradient was evaluated before and immediately after implantation and before explantation, as were tissue calcium, inflammation intensity, and thrombosis and pannus formation. The t-test was used for statistical analysis. Twelve animals survived to the end of the experiment, but one of the animals in the control group had endocarditis and was excluded from the data. Four animals died early. The mean RV/PA gradient on implantation was 2.0 ± 1.6 mm Hg in the control group and 6.2 ± 4.1 mm Hg in the lyophilized group (P = 0.064). This mean gradient increased at explantation to 7.7 ± 3.9 mm Hg and 8.6 ± 5.8 mm Hg, respectively (P = 0.777). The average calcium content in the tissue leaflets after 3 months was 21.6 ± 39.1 mg Ca(2+)/g dry weight in the control group, compared with an average content of 41.2 ± 46.9 mg Ca(2+)/g dry weight in the lyophilized group (P = 0.478). In this experimental study there was no reduction of calcification after lyophilization. However, histological analysis showed less inflammation over the lyophilized tissue when compared with the control.

Performance Evaluation of Geometrically Different Pediatric Arterial Cannulae in a Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass Model.

OBJECTIVE: To define a reference chart comparing pressure drop vs. flow generated by a set of arterial cannulae currently utilized in cardiopulmonary bypass conditions in pediatric surgery. METHODS: Cannulae from two manufacturers were selected considering their design and outer and inner diameters. Cannula performance was evaluated in terms of pressure drop vs. flow during simulated cardiopulmonary bypass conditions. The experimental circuits consisted of a Jostra HL-20 roller pump, a Quadrox-i pediatric oxygenator (Maquet Cardiopulmonary AG, Rastatt, Germany), and a custom pediatric tubing set. The circuit was primed with lactated Ringer's solution only (first condition) and with human packed red blood cells added (second condition) to achieve a hematocrit of 30%. Cannula sizes 8 to 16 Fr were inserted into the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with a "Y" connector. The flow was adjusted in 100 ml/min increments within typical flow ranges for each cannula. Pre-cannula and post-cannula pressures were measured to calculate the pressure drop. RESULTS: Utilizing a pressure drop limit of 100 mmHg, our results suggest a recommended flow limit of 500, 900, 1400, 2600, and 3100 mL/min for Braile arterial cannulae sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 Fr, respectively. For Medtronic DLP arterial cannulae sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 Fr, the recommended flow limit is 600, 1100, 1700, 2700, and 3300 mL/min, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study reinforces discrepancies in pressure drop between cannulae of the same diameter supplied by different manufacturers and the importance of independent translational research to evaluate components' performance.

Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy for Cartilage Repair: Preclinical Evaluation Methods.

A chondral injury is a limiting disease that can affect the quality of life and be an economic burden due to the cost of immediate treatment and loss in work productivity. If left untreated, such an injury may progress to osteoarthritis, a degenerative and debilitating joint disease characterized by pain and functional impairment. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which have immune-modulatory properties and the ability to differentiate into chondroblasts and osteoblasts, are a predictable source for the treatment of cartilage injuries. This article presents tools to evaluate cartilage restoration by tissue engineering and cell therapy treatment in a translational and preclinical large animal model. In this controlled experimental study with 14 miniature pigs, a scaffold-free tissue engineering construct (TEC) derived from dental pulp and synovial MSCs for cartilage therapy was tested. Total thickness cartilage defects were performed in both posterior knees. The defect was left empty in one of the knees, and the other received the TEC. The tissue repair was morphologically assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the three-dimensional double echo steady-state (3D-DESS) sequence, and compositional assessment was carried out based on the T2 mapping technique. The osteochondral specimens were fixed for histopathology, decalcified, subjected to standard histological processing, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The sections stained for immunohistochemical detection of collagen types were digested with pepsin and chondroitinase and incubated with antibodies against them. The mechanical evaluation involved analysis of Young's modulus of the cartilage samples based on the indentation and maximum compression test. In addition, a finite element model was used to simulate and characterize properties of the osteochondral block. At 6 months after surgery, there were no complications with the animals and the MRI, histological, immunohistochemical, and biomechanical evaluations proved to be effective and qualified to differentiate good quality chondral repair from inadequate repair tissue. The proposed methods were feasible and capable to properly evaluate the defect filled with TEC containing stromal cells after 6 months of follow-up in a large animal model for articular cartilage restoration. Impact Statement Articular chondral injuries are prevalent and represent an economic burden due to the cost of treatment. The engineering of cartilage tissue can promote the repair of chondral injuries and is dependent on selecting appropriate cells and biocompatible frameworks. In this article, methods for evaluation of a scaffold-free cell delivery system made from mesenchymal stromal cells were present in a translational study that allows further clinical safety and efficacy trials.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of lyophilized bioprosthetic valve.

Freeze-drying of biological tissues allows for dry storage and gamma ray sterilization, which may improve their use as a medical prosthesis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rehydration characteristics and hydrodynamic performance of prosthetic valves before and after lyophilization. Two size 23 bovine pericardium aortic valve prostheses from different manufacturers were evaluated in a Shelhigh (Union, NJ, USA) pulse duplicator (80 ppm, 5 L/min) before and after lyophilization. Flow and transvalvular pressure gradient were registered in vitro and in vivo, and images of opening and closing of the prosthesis were obtained in the pulse duplicator in a digital camera. Rehydration was evaluated by comparison of dry valve weight with valve weight after 15 min, and 1, 24, 48, and 72 h in saline solution, inside the pulse duplicator. In vivo performance was assessed by surgical implantation in Santa Inês young male sheep in the pulmonary position after 30 min rehydration with 0.9% saline. Transvalvular pressure gradient and flow measurements were obtained immediately after implantation and 3 months after surgery when valves were explanted. Captured images showed a change in the profile opening and closing of valve prosthesis after lyophilization. The gradient measured (in vitro) in two valves was 17.08 ± 0.57 and 18.76 ± 0.70 mm Hg before lyophilization, and 34.24 ± 0.59 and 30.40 ± 0.97 mm Hg after lyophilization. Rehydration of both lyophilized valves was approximately 82%. Drying changed the profile of the opening and closing of valve prostheses, and increased on average by 83% the gradient in vitro tests. The result of the in vivo tests suggests maintaining pressure levels of the animal with the lyophilized prostheses within acceptable levels.

Conditioning of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes using surface topography obtained with high throughput technology.

Surface functionalization of polymers aims to introduce novel properties that favor bioactive responses. We have investigated the possibility of surface functionalization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets by the combination of laser ablation with hot embossing and the application of such techniques in the field of stem cell research. We investigated the response of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) to topography in the low micrometer range. HiPSC-CMs are expected to offer new therapeutic tools for myocardial replacement or regeneration after an infarct or other causes of cardiac tissue loss. However, hiPSC-CMs are phenotypically immature compared to myocytes in the adult myocardium, hampering their clinical application. We aimed to develop and test a high-throughput technique for surface structuring that would improve hiPSC-CMs structural maturation. We used laser ablation with a ps-laser source in combination with nanoimprint lithography to fabricate large areas of homogeneous micron- to submicron line-like pattern with a spatial period of 3 µm on the PET surface. We evaluated cell morphology, alignment, sarcomeric myofibrils assembly, and calcium transients to evaluate phenotypic changes associated with culturing hiPSC-CMs on functionalized PET. Surface functionalization through hot embossing was able to generate, at low cost, low micrometer features on the PET surface that influenced the hiPSC-CMs phenotype, suggesting improved structural and functional maturation. This technique may be relevant for high-throughput technologies that require conditioning of hiPSC-CMs and may be useful for the production of these cells for drug screening and disease modeling applications with lower costs.

Early changes in myocyte contractility and cardiac function in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes in rats.

Diabetes can elicit direct deleterious effects on the myocardium, independent of coronary artery disease or hypertension. These cardiac disturbances are termed diabetic cardiomyopathy showing increased risk of heart failure with or without reduced ejection fraction. Presently, there is no specific treatment for this type of cardiomyopathy and in the case of type I diabetes, it may start in early childhood independent of glycemic control. We hypothesized that alterations in isolated myocyte contractility and cardiac function are present in the early stages of experimental diabetes in rats before overt changes in myocardium structure occur. Diabetes was induced by single-dose injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in rats with data collected from control and diabetic animals 3 weeks after injection. Left ventricle myocyte contractility was measured by single-cell length variation under electrical stimulation. Cardiac function and morphology were studied by high-resolution echocardiography with pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) measurements and three-lead surface electrocardiogram. Triglycerides, cholesterol and liver enzyme levels were measured from plasma samples obtained from both groups. Myocardial collagen content and perivascular fibrosis of atria and ventricle were studied by histological analysis after picrosirius red staining. Diabetes resulted in altered contractility of isolated cardiac myocytes with increased contraction and relaxation time intervals. Echocardiography showed left atrium dilation, increased end-diastolic LV and posterior wall thickness, with reduced longitudinal systolic peak velocity (S') of the septum mitral annulus at the apical four-chamber view obtained by TDI. Triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were elevated in diabetic animals. Intertitial collagen content was higher in atria of both groups and did not differ among control and diabetic animals. Perivascular intramyocardial arterioles collagen did not differ between groups. These results suggest that alterations in cardiac function are present in the early phase in this model of diabetes type 1 and occur before overt changes in myocardium structure appear as evaluated by intersticial collagen deposition and perivascular fibrosis of intramyocardial arterioles.

Performance Evaluation of Geometrically Different Pediatric Arterial Cannulae in a Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass Model

ABSTRACT Objective: To define a reference chart comparing pressure drop vs. flow generated by a set of arterial cannulae currently utilized in cardiopulmonary bypass conditions in pediatric surgery. Methods: Cannulae from two manufacturers were selected considering their design and outer and inner diameters. Cannula performance was evaluated in terms of pressure drop vs. flow during simulated cardiopulmonary bypass conditions. The experimental circuits consisted of a Jostra HL-20 roller pump, a Quadrox-i pediatric oxygenator (Maquet Cardiopulmonary AG, Rastatt, Germany), and a custom pediatric tubing set. The circuit was primed with lactated Ringer's solution only (first condition) and with human packed red blood cells added (second condition) to achieve a hematocrit of 30%. Cannula sizes 8 to 16 Fr were inserted into the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with a "Y" connector. The flow was adjusted in 100 ml/min increments within typical flow ranges for each cannula. Pre-cannula and post-cannula pressures were measured to calculate the pressure drop. Results: Utilizing a pressure drop limit of 100 mmHg, our results suggest a recommended flow limit of 500, 900, 1400, 2600, and 3100 mL/min for Braile arterial cannulae sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 Fr, respectively. For Medtronic DLP arterial cannulae sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 Fr, the recommended flow limit is 600, 1100, 1700, 2700, and 3300 mL/min, respectively. Conclusion: This study reinforces discrepancies in pressure drop between cannulae of the same diameter supplied by different manufacturers and the importance of independent translational research to evaluate components' performance.

Computational tool for morphological analysis of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

This study describes the development and evaluation of a semiautomatic myocyte edge-detector using digital image processing. The algorithm was developed in Matlab 6.0 using the SDC Morphology Toolbox. Its conceptual basis is the mathematical morphology theory together with the watershed and Euclidean distance transformations. The algorithm enables the user to select cells within an image for automatic detection of their borders and calculation of their surface areas; these areas are determined by adding the pixels within each myocyte's boundaries. The algorithm was applied to images of cultured ventricular myocytes from neonatal rats. The edge-detector allowed the identification and quantification of morphometric alterations in cultured isolated myocytes induced by 72 hours of exposure to a hypertrophic agent (50 µM phenylephrine). There was a significant increase in the mean surface area of the phenylephrine-treated cells compared with the control cells (p<;0.05), corresponding to cellular hypertrophy of approximately 50%. In conclusion, this edge-detector provides a rapid, repeatable and accurate measurement of cell surface areas in a standardized manner. Other possible applications include morphologic measurement of other types of cultured cells and analysis of time-related morphometric changes in adult cardiac myocytes.

A new approach to heart valve tissue engineering: mimicking the heart ventricle with a ventricular assist device in a novel bioreactor.

The 'biomimetic' approach to tissue engineering usually involves the use of a bioreactor mimicking physiological parameters whilst supplying nutrients to the developing tissue. Here we present a new heart valve bioreactor, having as its centrepiece a ventricular assist device (VAD), which exposes the cell-scaffold constructs to a wider array of mechanical forces. The pump of the VAD has two chambers: a blood and a pneumatic chamber, separated by an elastic membrane. Pulsatile air-pressure is generated by a piston-type actuator and delivered to the pneumatic chamber, ejecting the fluid in the blood chamber. Subsequently, applied vacuum to the pneumatic chamber causes the blood chamber to fill. A mechanical heart valve was placed in the VAD's inflow position. The tissue engineered (TE) valve was placed in the outflow position. The VAD was coupled in series with a Windkessel compliance chamber, variable throttle and reservoir, connected by silicone tubings. The reservoir sat on an elevated platform, allowing adjustment of ventricular preload between 0 and 11 mmHg. To allow for sterile gaseous exchange between the circuit interior and exterior, a 0.2 µm filter was placed at the reservoir. Pressure and flow were registered downstream of the TE valve. The circuit was filled with culture medium and fitted in a standard 5% CO(2) incubator set at 37 °C. Pressure and flow waveforms were similar to those obtained under physiological conditions for the pulmonary circulation. The 'cardiomimetic' approach presented here represents a new perspective to conventional biomimetic approaches in TE, with potential advantages.

Adenoviral expression of calmodulin antisense reduces hypertrophy in cultured cardiomyocytes.

Sustained myocardial hypertrophy is associated with an increased risk of sudden death and progression to heart failure. Multiple signal pathways are involved in cardiac hypertrophy and understanding their interaction may point to new therapeutic targets. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that adenovirus-mediated calmodulin (CaM) antisense expression will reduce the intracellular availability of CaM and inhibit the hypertrophic response. Three recombinant adenoviruses were constructed: AdASCaM, containing the AntiSense sequence of CaM and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) coding sequence; AdCaM, containing the coding sequence of CaM and the GFP sequence; and the AdGFP, containing the GFP coding sequence. Neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes were infected with AdASCaM, AdCaM, or AdGFP and stimulated with phenylephrine (PE, 50 microM) or angiotensin II (AngII, 10 microM) for 48 h and cell surface area measured with planimetry. After PE treatment, the surface areas of cardiomyocytes infected with AdASCaM or AdGFP were 411 +/- 174.3 micro(2) and 832.6 +/- 372.3 micro(2), respectively (P < 0.01). After AngII treatment, the surface areas of cardiomyocytes infected with AdASCaM or AdGFP were 441.5 +/- 149.2 micro(2) and 726 +/- 328.3 micro(2), respectively (P < 0.01). Adenoviral expression of the CaM antisense (AdASCaM) significantly inhibited PE or AngII-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Cardiomyocytes infected with the AdCaM showed increased area when compared with those infected with the AdGFP. These results suggest that adenovirus-mediated changes in CaM expression may alter hypertrophy in cardiac myocytes.

Left ventricular circulatory support as bridge to heart transplantation in Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy.

This study was performed to assess the safety and feasibility of the implantation of ventricular assist devices (VADs) as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with advanced biventricular failure due to Chagas' disease. Six patients were submitted to paracorporeal left VAD implantation, while right ventricular dysfunction was managed clinically. The mean time of circulatory support was 27 days. Two patients were bridged to heart transplantation successfully, while the other four patients died under assistance with complications that correlated with the final situation of multiple organ failure. Nevertheless, persistent right ventricular dysfunction was observed only in one patient who survived more than 15 days, despite the general significant preoperative compromise of the right ventricle. This paradoxical observation indicates that left VAD implantation may be regarded as a valuable treatment option for patients with Chagas' disease cardiomyopathy who evolve with decompensated heart failure or cardiogenic shock.

Diabetes-induced alterations in latissimus dorsi muscle properties impair effectiveness of dynamic cardiomyoplasty in rats.

Short-term diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats with streptozotocin injection. The effects of diabetes on latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle contractile and biochemical properties and acute cardiomyoplasty (CDM) were assessed and compared with data from 16 control rats. Isometric force, contractile properties, and fatigue were measured in electrically stimulated muscles (0.3 ms, 1-256 Hz), and Na+K+ and Ca2+ATPase activities were quantified in muscle membrane preparations. Systolic arterial pressure and aortic blood flow were recorded at rest and during LD muscle stimulation. Compared with control muscle, diabetic muscle showed smaller maximum specific tetanic tension and lower rates of rise and fall in force. Diabetic LD muscle also showed lower muscle enzyme activities. Twitch tension and fatigue did not differ between groups. Smaller increases in aortic flow and systolic pressure after CDM were found in diabetic rats compared to controls. The marked decrease in CDM effectiveness in diabetic rats likely reflected the alterations in muscle properties associated with diabetes.

Decreased 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration in low cardiac output patients and its influence on the determination of in vivo p50.

We investigated whether 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) is altered in patients with low cardiac output and the influence of its concentration on the calculation of in vivo P(50). Biochemical and blood gas analysis were performed along with the measurement of cardiac output and body temperature in 13 patients submitted to cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries without the use of donor blood. In vivo P(50) was calculated using the measured (P(50m)) and the estimated 2,3-DPG (P(50e)). 2,3-DPG concentration was lower in these patients when compared to the values obtained in normal volunteers (6.9 +/- 2.2 vs. 11.9 +/- 2.4 microm/gHb). P(50m) was lower than P(50e) (21.6 +/- 1.1 vs. 30.1 +/- 1.2 mm Hg) at all time points. Our data show that in patients with low cardiac output, 2,3-DPG concentration is reduced. Therefore, in these patients, the use of standard values for this variable may introduce an error in the calculation of in vivo P(50).

Echocardiographic assessment of global ventricular function using the myocardial performance index in rats with hypertrophy.

Myocardial hypertrophy is the hallmark of chronic pressure overload and the myocardial performance index (MPI) is an easily recordable measurement of Doppler time intervals. In this study, the utility of using MPI to assess the progression of hypertrophy in the aortic-banded rat model was evaluated. Male Wistar rats (70-90 g) underwent ascending aorta constriction (n = 4) or a sham operation (n = 5). High-resolution echocardiography was performed 4, 7, 10, and 12 weeks after the surgery. Over this follow-up interval, animals in the aortic-banded group demonstrated an increase in their mean left ventricular (LV) mass and MPI compared with controls. MPI reflects ventricular performance in small animals with LV hypertrophy, showing alterations early after aorta constriction.

Noninvasive assessment of hemodynamic parameters in experimental stenosis of the ascending aorta.

We sought to noninvasively evaluate left ventricular (LV) function after cardiac hypertrophy induced by experimental stenosis of the ascending aorta. Male Wistar rats (70-90 g) underwent ascending aorta constriction by the surgical placement of a titanium clip (n=5) or sham operation (n=6). High-resolution bidimensional, pulsed-wave Doppler (PWD) and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) were performed 22 weeks after surgery. PWD was used to obtain mitral flow velocities, and TDI was used to obtain velocities along the septal mitral annulus and LV posterior wall. Clip placement produced myocardial hypertrophy with decreased systolic myocardial peak velocity in both the long and short axes. Increased myocardial mass, that is, posterior wall and septal thickness, was indicative of ventricular remodeling. Diastolic dysfunction was observed, with an increased early to late ratio of mitral velocities and increased left atrium dimension, consistent with a left ventricular restrictive filling pattern.

Um circuito simples com bomba única para circulação extracorpórea com oxigenação autógena / A simple circuit with only centrifugal pump for extracorporeal circulation with autogenous oxygenation

Material e Métodos: Foi testado em 30 cães um circuito capaz de promover circulação extracorpórea (CEC) com oxigenação autógena (OA) do sangue, usando apenas uma bomba centrífuga. Esta montagem dispensou bombeamento para o lado direito: o gradiente de pressão bastante para vencer a resistência arterial pulmonar foi vencido aumentando-se a pressão nas artérias pulmonares pela expansão da volemia e diminuindo-se a pressão do átrio esquerdo pela drenagem dessa câmara mediante um sifão. O coração foi mantido em ritmo de fibrilação ventricular durante o período de perfusão e ao seu término, o ritmo próprio foi recuperado mediante cardioversão elétrica.Resultados: Este circuito permitiu a manutenção de parâmetros hemodinâmicos e gases sangüíneos adequados durante a perfusão. O campo operatório e a mobilidade do coração foram similares aos proporcionados pela CEC convencional. Conclusão: Concluímos que o uso de bomba centrífuga única simplifica a OA, podendo tornar-se uma escolha prática nos procedimentos de revascularização do miocárdio(AU)#S#as#BR