A New Porcine Model for Right Ventricle Failure: Preliminary Results
This project discusses the potential for an unexpected discovery to become a new porcine model for right ventricular heart failure. Right ventricular heart failure (RVF) is characterized by right ventricular inability to maintain blood flow through the pulmonary circuit, which can cause a variety of issues. Current treatments have not progressed in decades and lack in effectively treating RVF. In addition to poor treatment options, there is no well established large animal model for RVF. Past work that aimed to improve therapies for RVF has been done in rodent models, but anatomical, hemodynamic and electrophysiological differences have provided low translatability to humans. In a study on the arterial switch operation with a porcine model, the lab performed a pulmonary artery banding (PAB) in an attempt to precondition the right ventricle prior to switching the systemic ventricles. The preconditioning left structural changes that, if left untreated, mimicked the symptoms and changes that come with RVF. It was then evident that the PAB procedure has the potential to create a new porcine model for RVF and could open the door for new therapeutic research in the treatment of RVF.