DYNAMIC CARDIOMYOPLASTY FOR TREATMENT OF IDIOPATHIC DILATATIVE CARDIOMYOPATHY IN A DOG

In a dog with advanced dilatative cardiomyopathy, dynamic cardiomyopla sty resulted in improvement in clinical status and systolic function. Dynamic cardiomyoplasty involved surgical isolation of the right latis simus dorsi muscle on its neurovascular pedicle, transposition of the muscle into the thoracic cavity, wrapping the ventricles with the musc le, and implantation of a myostimulator for cardiosynchronous stimulat ion of the muscle. After a 2-week period, the latissimus muscle underw ent a 50-day period of progressive burst stimulation to transform the muscle to a fatigue resistant phenotype. Thereafter, the muscle receiv ed cardiosynchronous stimulation at a 3:1 R-wave-to-burst ratio. This procedure may offer hope for long-term treatment of dilatative cardiom yopathy in dogs.