A geometric model for the myocardium: Biventricular wall stresses in normal and hypertrophied states

✍ Scribed by I. Mirsky; M.M. Laks

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 859 KB
• Volume: 42
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1522-9602
• DOI: 10.1016/s0092-8240(80)80004-8

✦ Synopsis

Assuming truncated ellipsoidal geometry for the right and left ventricles, a model is developed for the myocardium enabling biventricular mechanical behavior to be studied. Employing pressure-Volume data taken from normal dog hearts and from hearts in which the pulmonary artery has been banded over periods of 2-40 weeks, it is shown that: (a) right ventricular wall stresses are higher than left ventricular stresses; (b) right ventricular wall stress increases initially to a maximum after 3-4 weeks followed by a decline to normal and even subnormal levels, attaining a minimum value at 3~33 weeks; (c) left ventricular stresses behave in a similar manner, attaining their maximum and minimum levels after 7-8 weeks and 32-33 weeks respectively. These results suggest that surgical or medical therapy in patients with hypertrophied ventricles might be more appropriate during the period of wall stress reduction.