Skeletal muscle powered ventricle: comparison of double-layered small ventricle and single-layered large ventricle.

Canine left latissimus dorsi (LD) muscles were used to construct two kinds of skeletal muscle powered ventricles (SMPV): a double layered small size (10-17 mL) SMPV (A), and a single-layered large size (40-70 mL) SMPV (B). The same muscle was used sequentially for the construction of both SMPV. A mock circulation system was used for testing. This allowed for change of the preload (10-60 mmHg) and afterload (40-160 mmHg) independently. The peak developed pressure (PDP) and stroke volume (SV) were measured, and the stroke work (SW) was analyzed on line by a computer. The isovolumic PDP was 93.3 +/- 11.8 mmHg at 10 mmHg preload, and 157.7 +/- 20.2 mmHg at 60 mmHg for A, and 37.8 +/- 5.5 mHg and 107.8 +/- 8.5 mmHg for B. The SV and SW at 50 mmHg preload and 80 mmHg afterload were 18.30 +/- 1.25 mL and 1.06 +/- 0.10 x 10(6) erg for A, and 34.18 +/- 2.36 mL and 2.51 +/- 0.28 x 10(6) erg for B. The SV and SW at 20 mmHg preload and 160 mmHg afterload were 2.65 +/- 0.31 mL and 0.27 +/- 0.05 x 10(6) erg for A, and 1.03 +/- 0.23 mL and 0.04 +/- 0.01 x 10(6) erg for (B). The SW generated by the large single-layered SMPV is similar to that reported for the canine left ventricle but requires a high preload. The large single-layered SMPV showed a higher dependence on pre- and afterload changes than the double layered small SMPV, which generates a higher pressure even at low preloads.