Mono and bi-ventricular assistance: Their effect on ventricular energetics

When mono- and bi-ventricular mechanical assistance is used for heart recovery, its control strategy and circulatory variables affect ventricular energetics (external work-EW, oxygen consumption-VO2, cardiac mechanical efficiency-CME). This study is based on the data obtained in vitro and presents an analysis of the effects of the mono- and bi-ventricular mechanical assistance on ventricular energetics. The assistance was conducted on the principle of counterpulsation with atrio-arterial connection. It includes the following stages: 1) the characterisation of the isolated ventricle model in terms of EW, VO2 and CME as a function of the filling pressure and peripheral resistance, 2) modelling of left ventricular and pulmonary dysfunction, followed by left ventricular and bi-ventricular assistance. Experimental data enable us to draw the following conclusions: o in general, the greatest hemodynamic improvement does not correspond to the highest energetic improvement, o LVAD assistance deteriorates left ventricular CME while its effect on right ventricular energetics depends on the value of right ventricular elastance (Emax). Right ventricular CME is deteriorated by BVAD assistance irrespective of right Emax, o the energetics optimisation in bi-ventricular assistance is closely related to the right Emax, which could probably be a deciding factor in the choice of the assistance mode.