CARDIAC BINDING IN EXPERIMENTAL HEART-FAILURE

Background. Cardiomyoplasty is a potential therapy for heart failure. Its benefits are attributed to systolic augmentation (dynamic cardiomy oplasty) and prevention of cardiac dilatation (static cardiomyoplasty) . To evaluate the static component, we used an artificial membrane for cardiac binding in a canine model of heart failure. Methods. Intracor onary doxorubicin was administered weekly for 4 weeks to induce heart failure in 10 dogs, each of which was assigned to one of two treatment groups: (1) no treatment, or (2) cardiac binding. Hemodynamic data we re obtained at operation and at 7 weeks after operation. Echocardiogra phy was performed weekly. Results. Left ventricular end-diastolic pres sure and diameter, and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter increa sed in group 1 (from 9.6 +/- 6.1 to 19.6 +/- 2.3 mm Hg, P = 0.009; fro m 3.9 +/- 0.4 to 5 +/- 0.3 cm, p = 0.0013; and from 1.6 +/- 0.2 to 1.9 +/- 0.3 cm, p = 0.0036, respectively). Ejection fraction fell in grou p 1 from 0.60 +/- 0.10 to 0.40 +/- 0.04 (p = 0.0009) and in group 2 fr om 0.56 +/- 0.02 to 0.40 +/- 0.04 (p = 0.0001), but the difference bet ween groups was not significant. Conclusion. Cardiac binding reduces t he ventricular dilatation associated with heart failure without exacer bating left ventricular dysfunction.