J Korean Med Sci.  2004 Feb;19(1):37-41. 10.3346/jkms.2004.19.1.37.

Development of an Animal Experimental Model for a Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve Prosthesis

• Choo SJ
• Kim KI
• Park NH
• Song JM
• Choi IC
• Shim JY
• Lee SK
• Kwon YJ
• Kim CN
• Lee JW

• KMID: 1785691
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2004.19.1.37

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop a pre-clinical large animal model for the in vivo hemodynamic testing of prosthetic valves in the aortic position without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. Ten male pigs were used. A composite valved conduit was constructed in the operating room by implanting a prosthetic valve between two separate pieces of vascular conduits, which bypassed the ascending aorta to the descending aorta. Prior to applying a side-biting clamp to the ascending aorta for proximal grafting to the aortic anastomosis, an aorta to femoral artery shunt was placed just proximally to this clamp. The heart rate, cardiac output, Vmax, transvalvular pressure gradient, effective orifice area and incremental dobutamine stress response were assessed. A dose dependant increase with dobutamine was seen in terms of cardiac output, Vmax, and the peak transvalvular pressure gradient both in the native and in the prosthetic valve. However, the increment was much steeper in the prosthetic valve. No significant differences in cardiac output were noted between the native and the prosthetic valves. The described pre-clinical porcine model was found suitable for site-specific in-vivo hemodynamic assessment of aortic valvular prosthesis without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Keyword

Surgical instruments; Prosthetic Valve; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Hemodynamic Assessment; Hemodynamic Processes

MeSH Terms

Adrenergic beta-Agonists/pharmacology
Animals
Aorta/pathology
Aortic Valve/*pathology
Disease Models, Animal
Dobutamine/pharmacology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Heart Rate
*Heart Valve Prosthesis
Male
Pressure
*Prosthesis Implantation
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Swine
Thoracic Arteries/pathology

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Photograph and schematic representation of the ascending aorta to desending thoracic aortic bypass with the composite valved conduit which was constructed intraoperatively. DAO, Descending aorta; V, Position of valve; G, Graft.

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