Update on skeletal muscle ventricles as aortic diastolic counterpulsators.

Skeletal muscle ventricles are constructed from canine latissimus dorsi muscle. These skeletal muscle ventricles can be placed subcutaneously on the chest wall or inside the chest cavity. Skeletal muscle ventricles are connected to the descending thoracic aorta and activated to pump blood as aortic diastolic counterpulsators. The skeletal muscle ventricle in 1 animal pumped blood in the circulation for 27 months. Skeletal muscle ventricles can also function effectively under the condition of low cardiac output. Although thrombus has been detected in some skeletal muscle ventricles, thromboembolism to distal organs has been detected only rarely during the past few years. This research appears promising; however, skeletal muscle ventricle rupture remains a problem and currently accounts for about 30% of the mortality in the long-term experiments. It occurs at the site between the skeletal muscle ventricle outlet and the Dacron sewing ring that is necessary to connect conduits from the skeletal muscle ventricle to the animal's circulation. We believe that skeletal muscle ventricle rupture is likely to be a solvable problem. Once a solution has been found, skeletal muscle ventricles may be ready for clinical use in patients with chronic congestive heart failure.