Evaluation of different indices to measure elastic properties of the aorta in a pulsatile mock circulation loop.

Objectives: Aim of this study was to investigate how different indices to express aortic stiffness can be understood and what the impact of different loading conditions is.

Methods: Thoracic aortas from swine (n = 6) and sheep (n = 6) were tested in a pulsatile mock circulation loop. Aortas were loaded at constant heart rate and stroke volume at increasing diastolic pressure with constant pulse pressure of 40 mmHg from 60/20 to 180/140 mmHg in 20 mmHg steps.

Mitral Butterfly: Preclinical Experience of a Novel Chordal Repair Device Using an Artificial Papillary Muscle.

Transcatheter mitral repair is based on the principle of artificial monochordal repair. In this paper, the authors show an alternative, based on the realization of an artificial papillary muscle concept that avoids multiple chordal replacements and fixation in the myocardium. Unlike the interposition of artificial chordae between the free edge of the leaflet and the myocardium, the so-called Mitral Butterfly device collects a multitude of chordae in a matrix connected to a swing arm, stabilizing prolapsing forces with a broad atrial support.