Development of a cardiac loading device to monitor cardiac function during ex vivo graft perfusion.

Background: Ex vivo heart perfusion systems, allowing continuous perfusion of the coronary vasculature, have recently been introduced to limit ischemic time of donor hearts prior to transplantation. Hearts are, however, perfused in an unloaded manner (via the aorta) and therefore, cardiac contractile function cannot be reliably evaluated.

Objectives: We aim to develop a ventricular loading device that enables monitoring of myocardial function in an ex vivo perfusion system.