As the left ventricle dilates during chronic volume overloading, it assumes a more spherical configuration, suggesting a nonuniform regional myocardial response. Accordingly, we studied early alterations in left ventricular geometry and regional function induced by chronic volume overloading in the canine heart subjected to an aortocaval fistula. Nine mongrel dogs were instrumented with ultraso...

Aortocaval fistula (ACF) after rupture of an abdominal aortic dissecting aneurysm is a rare emergency situation, which has a high mortality. However, the diagnosis is usually delayed, which increases the difficulties of treatment. We describe a case that successfully delayed use of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for ACF resulting from rupture of abdominal aortic dissecting aneurysm.We desc...

The effects of a large arteriovenous fistula on left and right ventricular hemodynamics and cardiac myocyte size were examined in adult rats at 1 week and 1 month after surgery. Cardiac output, left ventricular function, and right ventricular function were evaluated before obtaining isolated myocytes for cell size measurements. Average heart weight increased 35% at 1 week and 86% at 1 month in ...

Since hemodynamic factors have been implicated in the localization and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the effect of hemodynamic stress on endothelium was investigated. The endothelium of the inferior vena cava of 24 rabbits with aortocaval fistulas was stained in situ and examined by the Hautchen technique at postoperative intervals ranging from 1 to 50 weeks. Cell counts revealed that, in th...

Previously, we demonstrated that intact female rats fed a standard rodent diet containing soybean products exhibit essentially no adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling in response to aortocaval fistula-induced chronic volume overload. We hypothesized that phytoestrogenic compounds in the diet contributed to the female cardioprotection. To test this hypothesis, four groups of female rats were...

Patients with left-to-right shunt congenital heart disease may develop pulmonary hypertension. Perioperative mortality of these patients is high due to abnormal vasoreactivity of the pulmonary artery (PA). We studied the changes in the PA induced by high pulmonary blood flow in rats with aortocaval fistula. Eight weeks after surgery, morphological changes of the PA were studied and vasomotor fu...