A simple adeno-associated virus-based approach for the generation of cardiac genetic models in rats.

Heart failure is a major health problem and progress in this field relies on better understanding of the mechanisms and development of novel therapeutics using animal models. The rat may be preferable to the mouse as a cardiovascular disease model due to its closer physiology to humans and due to its large size that facilitates surgical and monitoring procedures. However, unlike the mouse, genetic manipulation of the rat genome is challenging.

Effects of synchronized cardiac assist device on cardiac energetics.

A novel physiological cardiac assist device (PCAD), the LEV RAM assist device, which is synchronized with the failing heart ejection, was developed to improve the failing heart systolic and diastolic functions and cardiac energetics. The PCAD uses a single short cannula, which is inserted into the beating left ventricle (LV) by means of a specially designed device. Blood is ejected from the PCAD into the LV after the opening of the aortic valve and augments the cardiac stroke work.

Three-dimensional endocardial impedance mapping: a new approach for myocardial infarction assessment.

Precise identification of infarcted myocardial tissue is of importance in diagnostic and interventional cardiology. A three-dimensional, catheter-based endocardial electromechanical mapping technique was used to assess the ability of local endocardial impedance in delineating the exact location, size, and border of canine myocardial infarction. Electromechanical mapping of the left ventricle was performed in a control group (n = 10) and 4 wk after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation (n = 10).

Electromechanical characterization of chronic myocardial infarction in the canine coronary occlusion model.

Background: Defining the presence, extent, and nature of the dysfunctional myocardial tissue remains a cornerstone in diagnostic cardiology. A nonfluoroscopic, catheter-based mapping technique that can spatially associate endocardial mechanical and electrical data was used to quantify electromechanical changes in the canine chronic infarction model.

Methods And Results: We mapped the left ventricular (LV) electromechanical regional properties in 11 dogs with chronic infarction (4 weeks after LAD ligation) and 6 controls.

Thermographic imaging in the beating heart: a method for coronary flow estimation based on a heat transfer model.

Intraoperative thermographic imaging in open-chest conditions can provide the surgeon with important qualitative information regarding coronary flow by utilizing heat transfer analysis following injection of cold saline into the aortic root. The heat transfer model is based on the assumption that the epicardial temperature changes are mainly due to convection of heat by the blood flow, which may, therefore, be estimated by measuring the temperature variations. Hearts of eight dogs were exposed and imaged by a thermographic camera.