Mechanical Left Ventricular Unloading to Reduce Infarct Size During Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insight from Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Pioneering preclinical work reported by Peter Maroko and Eugene Braunwald in 1971 identified oxygen supply and demand are primary determinants of myocardial infarct size in the setting of a heart attack. Since the 1950s, advances in mechanical engineering led to the development of short-term circulatory support devices that range from pulsatile to continuous flow pumps. The primary objective of these pumps is to reduce native heart work, enhance coronary blood flow, and sustain systemic perfusion. Whether these pumps could reduce myocardial infarct size in the setting of AMI became an intense focus for preclinical investigation with variable animal models, experimental algorithms, and pump platforms being tested. In this review, we discuss the design of these preclinical studies and the evolution of mechanical support platforms and attempt to translate these experimental methods into clinical trials.