Cardiovascular Research

Transmural channels can protect ischemic tissue. Assessment of long-term myocardial response to laser- and needle-made channels.

Authors: P Whittaker|||K Rakusan|||R A Kloner

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Abstract

We previously found that transmural laser channels failed to acutely increase myocardial blood flow. Nevertheless, this method is being used to treat patients with coronary artery disease who are unable to undergo angioplasty or bypass graft surgery and in cases in which previous surgery has failed. To reconcile the lack of an acute increase in blood flow with beneficial effects claimed in patients, our hypothesis was that the channel-making process might, over time, stimulate a protective effect, possibly by the growth of new vessels linking channels to the existing circulation. We tested this hypothesis in rat hearts, which have little native collateral circulation.