. Unfortunately atria often fail to recover their mechanical
function and patients therefore require lifelong anticoagulation therapy. A motorless volume displacing device (Atripump (R)) based on artificial muscle technology, positioned on the external surface of atrium could avoid the need of oral anticoagulation and its haemorrhagic complications. Art animal Acalabrutinib ic50 Study was conducted in order to assess the haemodynamic effects that such a pump could provide.
Methods: Atripump is a dome-shape silicone-coated nitinol actuator sewn on the external surface of the atrium. It is driven by a pacemaker-like control unit. Five non-anticoagulated sheep were selected for this experiment. The right atrium was surgically exposed, the device sutured and connected. Haemodynamic parameters and intracardiac ultrasound (ICUS) data were recorded in each animal and under three conditions; baseline, atrial fibrillation (AF); atripump assisted AF (aaAF).
Results: Belnacasan Apoptosis inhibitor In two animals, after 20 min of AF, small thrombi appeared in the right atrial appendix and were washed out once the pump was turned on. Assistance also enhanced atrial ejection fraction. 31% baseline; 5% during AF; 20% under aaAF. Right atrial
systolic Surfaces (cm(2)) were; 5.2 +/- 0.3 baseline; 6.2 +/- 0.1 AF; 5.4 +/- 0.3 aaAF.
conclusion: This compact and reliable pump seems to restore the atrial “”kick”" and prevents embolic events. It could avoid long-term anticoagulation therapy and open new hopes in the care of end-stage heart failure.”
“The mechanical properties of biopolymeric cellular foams are often governed by their microstructure. 2D and 3D microstructural data of supercritical fluid extrudates were obtained with X-ray microtomography and correlated with the mechanical properties
determined using compression and three-point bending tests. Cell size from selleck products transverse cross-sections of SCFX extrudates decreased with radial distance from the center. In the longitudinal direction, the cell shapes were more elliptical than spherical and were aligned along the extrusion direction. These findings indicated the presence of a certain degree of anisotropy in SCFX extrudates in both directions. Both piece density and the ratio of cell wall thickness to cell diameter were observed to be good predictors of compressive and flexural mechanical properties, including jaggedness parameters. Compressive modulus data suggested that cell shape anisotropy due to cell elongation in the longitudinal direction actually affected the mechanical properties of SCFX extrudates. X-ray microtomography was found to be useful to investigate 2D and 3D morphology of SCFX extrudates, including cell shape and cell size anisotropy. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.