The contraction of stunned myocardium: isovolumetric bulging and wasted ejection shortening in dog heart

Contribution of asynchrony and nonuniformity to mechanical interaction in normal and stunned myocardium

In anesthetized pigs, we investigated whether asynchrony (delta T) and nonuniformity (regional differences) in contractility (delta E) could describe the interaction between normal and stunned myocardium. Mechanical interaction was evaluated by regional postsystolic work (PSW) before and after production of stunning by a 5-min occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery [LCX (LCX stunning)] and a subsequent 10-min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery [LAD (LAD stunning)]. delta T and delta E were intensified by intracoronary (LAD) infusions of dobutamine. From regional end-systolic pressure-segment length relationships, systolic segment shortening (SS), end-systolic elastance (E), external work (EW), and PSW were determined. LCX stunning decreased SSLCX from 14 +/- 2 (mean +/- SE, n = 9) to 10 +/- 2% and ELCX from 103 +/- 25 to 52 +/- 7 mmHg/mm, whereas the LAD region was unaffected. EWLCX decreased from 165 +/- 16 to 138 +/- 20 mmHg.mm, whereas PSWLCX increased from -4 +/- 6 to 8 +/- 3 mmHg.mm. Additional LAD stunning reduced SSLAD from 16 +/- 2 to 9 +/- 3% and ELAD from 79 +/- 10 to 31 +/- 6 mmHg/mm, without affecting SSLCX and ELCX. In the normal myocardium, PSWLAD increased and PSWLCX decreased, but, during local LAD dobutamine infusions after stunning, both PSWLCX and PSWLAD increased. In normal myocardium, the changes in PSWLCX could be described by delta T (65 +/- 11%) and delta E (37 +/- 15%). After stunning of the LAD area, the contribution of delta E increased to 55 +/- 14% at the expense of delta T (37 +/- 15%). Similar contributions of delta E (54 +/- 13%) and delta T (57 +/- 13%) were found when both the LCX and LAD distribution areas were stunned. In normal myocardium, both delta T and delta E modulate mechanical interaction, with the contribution of delta T exceeding that of delta E. In stunned myocardium, both factors contribute, but the contribution shifts in favor of delta E.

Modeling of mechanical dysfunction in regional stunned myocardium of the left ventricle

Reversible mechanical dysfunction of the myocardium after a single or multiple episode(s) of coronary artery occlusion has been observed in previous studies and is termed myocardial stunning. The hypothesis that stunning could be represented by a decrease in maximum available muscle force in the stunned region was examined by means of a mathematical model that incorporates series viscoelastic elements. A canine experimental model was also employed to demonstrate depressed contractility and a consistent delay of shortening in the stunned region. The mechanical model of the left ventricle was designed to include a normal and stunned region, for which the stunned region was allowed to have variable size. Each region consisted of a volume and time dependent force generator in parallel with a passive elastic force element. The passive elastic element was placed in series with a constant viscosity component and a series elastic component. The model was solved by means of a computer. Passive and active properties of each region could be altered independently. The typical regional measures of muscle performance such as percent shortening, percent bulge, percent thickening, delay of shortening, percent increase in end-diastolic length and other hemodynamic measures were computed. These results were similar to those observed in animal models of stunning. In addition, a nearly linear relationship with end-diastolic length and delay of shortening was predicted by the model. It was concluded that a decrease in the peak isovolumic elastance and augmentation of viscosity effect of creep during stunning can explain mechanical abnormalities of stunned myocardium.

Non-uniform recovery of performance in stunned myocardium evaluated by two-dimensional sonomicrometry

The objective of the present study was to assess the uniformity of contraction in reperfused myocardium. Regional function was measured by two pairs of piezo-electric crystals oriented in the circumferential and longitudinal axis of the left ventricular anterior midwall in 10 open-chest pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats. The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 10 min followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Myocardial blood flow was measured four times by radioactive labelled microspheres: at pre-occlusion, occlusion and after 30 and 60 min of reperfusion. There was a severe and transmural homogenous ischaemia during coronary occlusion. The recovery of ejection shortening was on average 76% at 30 min and 77% at 60 min of reperfusion in circumferential segments versus 25 and 44% in longitudinal segments (P < 0.05). Diastolic function was deranged in longitudinal segments; at 60 min of reperfusion the end diastolic pressure-length relation was still shifted rightwards in longitudinal segments, whereas it was normalized in circumferential segments. In conclusion, systolic and diastolic dysfunction in stunned myocardium were more severe in the longitudinal axis than in the circumferential axis of the feline heart. This indicates that stunning was more pronounced in longitudinally oriented sub-endocardial fibres which were reflected by the longitudinal segment, despite transmural homogenous ischaemia during coronary artery occlusion.