Abstract:We measured the collateral formation between skeletal muscle and the heart after a latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty in an animal model that contained normal, chronic ischemic, and infarcted myocardium. The area at risk for ischemia was 27.0 ± 3.2 of the left ventricular mass (n = 10, mean ± SE). In five animals the risk area developed predominantly into chronic ischemic myocardium; in five others the risk area became an infarct. The collateral blood flow from the skeletal muscle to chronic ischemic myocardium (6.05 ± 1.36 m1/100 glmin, n = 5) was higher than flow to the infarct (0.46 ± 0.31 m1/100 g/ min, n = 5). The collateral blood flow to normal myocardium was minimal (0.04 ± 0.01 m1/100 gimin). The collateral blood flow appeared to be concentrated in the outer half of the left ventricular wall, with the epicardium having a higher skeletal muscle derived collateral blood flow than endocardium (p<0.05). We conclude that after a cardiomyoplasty a collateral blood flow, which approaches clinical significance, is preferentially established between skeletal muscle and chronic ischemic myocardium. Enhancement of this collateral blood flow might provide a means to revascularize patients with presently inoperable coronary dis
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