Volumes and Compliances Measured Simultaneously in the Right and Left Ventricles of the Dog

Abstract

In 10 normal dogs, the right and left ventricular volumes and compliances were determined in the fresh post-mortem heart. With the use of a SigmaMotor pump, Ringer's solution at 23°C was simultaneously infused into both ventricles within an hour after death. When the ventricles were full but open to atmospheric pressure, the mean volumes were 35.8 ml/m 2 for the right and 23.1 ml/m 2 for the left ventricle; when the transmural pressure was increased by 10 mm Hg, the mean volumes were 56.9 ml/m 2 for the right and 41.9 ml/m 2 for the left ventricle; at 20 mm Hg, the values were 60.8 and 48.5 ml/m 2 , respectively. The initial volumes and the increases in volume produced by increase in transmural pressure were affected by the position of the ventricular septum and by the presence of rigor mortis. With infusions into only one ventricle, right and left ventricular volumes were 20 to 74% greater at 10 mm Hg than the values when both ventricles were filled simultaneously. Compliance began to decrease 40 to 60 min after death; at 130 min after death (23°C), the change in volume when the transmural pressure was increased to 10 mm Hg was only about 1/5 of that immediately after death.