SKELETAL-MUSCLE USED AS EXPERIMENTAL CARDIAC ASSIST - RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE

This manuscript presents experimental data in the area of biomechanica l cardiac support obtained at the Bakulev Institute for Cardiovascular Surgery in Moscow, Russia. After creation of the left ventricular ane urysm and subsequent cardiomyoplasty, active functioning of the muscle -heart complex was observed. In the late postoperative stages (3-6 mon ths) hemodynamic parameters did not reach original preoperative values , but were satisfactory to support decreasing heart function: Cardiac index was decreased by 9.8%, the pumping coefficient of the left heart (KLH) by 24.7%, and left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWl)fell by 25%. Acute aneurysm of the left ventricle is a good model to study th e effectiveness of cardiomyoplasty. Determination of parameters for st imulation of the muscle autograft showed that from the point of view o f hemodynamic parameters of the muscle-heart complex, the optimal init ial training schedule is a burst of seven pulses, each from 0.07 to 0. 6 ms in duration, with a frequency of 30-50 Hz, an amplitude of 6 V, a nd a burst following frequency of 15-30 per minute.