The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Jun 1997
Case ReportsPathologic findings of latissimus dorsi muscle graft in dynamic cardiomyoplasty: clinical implications.
We hypothesize that the integrity of the latissimus dorsi muscle graft used to wrap the heart may affect the clinical outcome of patients undergoing dynamic cardiomyoplasty. ⋯ Our findings are consistent with and support a number of mechanisms proposed for cardiomyoplasty. Thus preservation of latissimus dorsi muscle graft integrity may be important in the success of dynamic cardiomyoplasty.
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Jun 1997
Donor blood perfusion improves myocardial recovery after heart transplantation.
Improved methods of donor heart preservation may allow for prolonged storage and permit remote procurement. Previous attempts to use oxygenated perfusion circuits during storage have not gained widespread acceptance because they were either too impractical or complicated to use for remote harvest. We hypothesized that collection and perfusion of donor blood during prolonged storage may improve myocardial recovery. Our aim was to devise a safe, simple, cost-effective system that could be used in any hospital setting. ⋯ Perfusion of donor blood improved the ability to wean off bypass after 4 hours of storage. Blood perfusion permitted persistent myocardial metabolism during the ischemic period, which led to improved functional recovery. Harvesting donor blood for subsequent perfusion during prolonged storage may improve the results of orthotopic heart transplantation and allow for more distant procurement of donor organs.