UPDATE ON SKELETAL-MUSCLE VENTRICLES AS AORTIC DIASTOLIC COUNTERPULSATORS

Skeletal muscle ventricles are constructed from canine latissimus dors i muscle. These skeletal muscle ventricles can be placed subcutaneousl y on the chest wall or inside the chest cavity. Skeletal muscle ventri cles are connected to the descending thoracic aorta and activated to p ump blood as aortic diastolic counterpulsators. The skeletal muscle ve ntricle in 1 animal pumped blood in the circulation for 27 months. Ske letal muscle ventricles can also function effectively under the condit ion of low cardiac output. Although thrombus has been detected in some skeletal muscle ventricles, thromboembolism to distal organs has been detected only rarely during the past few years. This research appears promising; however, skeletal muscle ventricle rupture remains a probl em and currently accounts for about 30% of the mortality in the long-t erm experiments. It occurs at the site between the skeletal muscle ven tricle outlet and the Dacron sewing ring that is necessary to connect conduits from the skeletal muscle ventricle to the animal's circulatio n. We believe that skeletal muscle ventricle rupture is likely to be a solvable problem. Once a solution has been found, skeletal muscle ven tricles may be read for clinical use in patients with chronic congesti ve heart failure.