A New Approach to Assist Postoperative Heart Failure in an Animal Model: Juxta-Aortic Counterpulsation

: Aortic counterpulsation is a useful technique frequently used in postcardiotomy heart failure. An acute heart failure model in open chest sheep was chosen to evaluate hemodynamic improvement with a counterpulsation balloon pump in juxta‐aortic position. This was achieved with a manufactured Dacron prosthesis and a balloon pump placed between the prosthesis and the aorta. Juxta‐aortic balloon pump counterpulsation in acute experimental heart failure resulted in a significant improvement of hemodynamic parameters: increase of cardiac output (from 0.86 ± 0.04 to 1.29 ± 0.09 L/min, p < 0.05) and cardiac index (from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 0.04 ± 0.01 L/min per kg, p < 0.05), and decrease of systemic vascular resistance (from 89.76 ± 6.69 to 66.56 ± 6.02 mm Hg/L per min, p < 0.05). The extent of aortic diastolic pressure change evaluated through the diastolic and systolic areas beneath the aortic pressure curve (DABAC/SABAC) index before cardiac failure induction showed a significant increase compared with unassisted values (from 0.81 ± 0.10 to 1.12 ± 0.09, p < 0.05). Assisted values of DABAC/SABAC index after heart failure induction also showed a significant increase compared with unassisted values (from 0.78 ± 0.21 to 1.17 ± 0.38, p < 0.05). Treatment of experimental acute heart failure by juxta‐aortic balloon pump counterpulsation allows an effective hemodynamic improvement in open chest sheep.