Pressure-volume loops, myocardial energetics, and coronary flow were measured. A thin cannula was inserted into the coronary sinus and the oxygen content of the LV and the coronary sinus were determined (AVOXimeter-1000). Flowmeters (transonic) measured the cardiac output (CO) and the coronary arteries (left anterior descending (LAD) and circumflex) flows. LV volume was measured by sonocrystals (Sonometrics Corp., London, Ontario, Canada) and impedance catheter (CD Lycom, Argonstrat 116 Zoetermeer, 2718 SP The Netherlands). Pressures transducers (Millar Instruments, Inc., Houston, TX) were inserted into the LV and aorta. Adult normal sheep were anesthetized and the heart was exposed by left thoracotomy. The study aims to test the effects of the PCAD on cardiac energetics and coronary blood flow. The same amount of blood is withdrawn from the LV into the PCAD, through the same cannula, during the diastole. Blood is ejected from the PCAD into the LV after the opening of the aortic valve and augments the cardiac stroke work. The PCAD uses a single short cannula, which is inserted into the beating left ventricle (LV) by means of a specially designed device. A novel physiological cardiac assist device (PCAD), the LEVRAM assist device, which is synchronized with the failing heart ejection, was developed to improve the failing heart systolic and diastolic functions and cardiac energetics.

Pcad 2006 reports