Effects of pulsatile perfusion upon left ventricular function

This study compares the effects of pulsatile and nonpulsatile perfusion upon myocardial contractility. After 2 hr of ventricular fibrillation, control animals demonstrated a 37% decrease in left ventricular force, a 48% decrease in left ventricular compliance, and an increase in endomyocardial water content. On the other hand, after 2 hr of ventricular fibrillation, animals undergoing pulsatile perfusion had no significant change in ventricular diastolic compliance and only a 14% decrease in left ventricular force. The results of this study show that the addition of pulsatile perfusion minimized the deleterious effects of ventricular fibrillation upon myocardial contractility.