The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jun 2013
New ascending aortic aneurysm model in rats reproduces main structural features of degenerative ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms in human beings.
The singularity of the ascending aorta regarding mechanisms driving aneurysm formation requires the development of specific animal models. We investigated if adventitial elastase application results in ascending aorta aneurysms in rats. ⋯ Elastase application on rat ascending aortic adventitia produced aneurysms, creating a reproducible model. Aortic wall remodeling evolved toward an increase in total wall area, reproducing the main structural features of this disease in human beings.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jun 2013
Significance of force transfer in mitral valve-left ventricular interaction: in vivo assessment.
The objective of this study was to assess the combined force transfer from the papillary muscle tips to the mitral valve through the chordae tendineae in vivo, and thereby quantify the force transmitted through the papillary-chordal complex to augment left ventricular ejection. ⋯ This study is the first to assess the magnitude and time course of the longitudinal force transmitted through the papillary-chordal complex to the left ventricular wall during ejection. The study also demonstrates a significant force transfer to the closing force acting on the mitral valve leaflets that constitutes an essential component of valvular-ventricular interaction to enhance left ventricular systolic pump performance. The magnitude of the combined papillary muscle force component emphasizes the crucial role of preserving mitral valve-left ventricular continuity in mitral valve surgery.