Effects of dynamic cardiomyoplasty on indices of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in a canine model of chronic heart failure

The effects of cardiomyoplasty were evaluated with multiple-gated equuilibriumradionuclide angiocardiography and catheterization in a canine model of chronic heart failure. Doxorubicin was administered to 12 dogs at a dose of 1 mg/kg/wk intravenously for 10 weeks. Left ventricular ejection fraction was reduced from a mean of 53.6%±3.4% to 33.5%±2.3% preoperatively. Two dogs died of presumed arrhythmia during this period. Cardiomyoplasty with the left latissimus dorsi muscle was performed on 10 dogs. The muscle was wrapped around both the left and right ventricles