Left ventricular and myocardial perfusion responses to volume unloading and afterload reduction in a computer simulation

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used successfully as a bridge to transplant in heart failure patients by unloading ventricular volume and restoring the circulation. In a few cases, patients have been successfully weaned from these devices after myocardial recovery. To promote myocardial recovery and alleviate the demand for donor organs, we are developing an artificial vasculature device (AVD) that is designed to allow the heart to fill to its normal volume but eject against a lower afterload. Using this approach, the heart ejects its stroke volume (SV) into an AVD anastomosed to the aortic arch, which has been programmed to produce any desired afterload condition defined by an input impedance profile. During diastole, the AVD returns this SV to the aorta, providing counterpulsation. Dynamic computer models of each of the assist devices (AVD, continuous, and pulsatile flow pumps) were developed and coupled to a model of the cardiovascular system. Computer simulations of these assist techniques were conducted to predict physiologic responses. Hemodynamic parameters, ventricular pressure-volume loops, and vascular impedance characteristics were calculated with AVD, continuous VAD, and asynchronous pulsatile VAD support for a range of clinical cardiac conditions (normal, failing, and recovering left ventricle). These simulation results indicate that the AVD may provide better coronary perfusion, as well as lower vascular resistance and elastance seen by the native heart during ejection compared with continuous and pulsatile VAD. Our working hypothesis is that by controlling afterload using the AVD approach, ventricular cannulation can be eliminated, myocardial perfusion improved, myocardial compliance and resistance restored, and effective weaning protocols developed that promote myocardial recovery.