Biology Commons^™

Surgical Removal Of Right-To-Left Cardiac Shunt In The American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Causes Ventricular Enlargement But Does Not Alter Apnoea Or Metabolism During Diving, John Eme, June Gwalthney, Jason M. Blank, Tomasz Owerkowicz, Gildardo Barron, James W. Hicks

Biological Sciences

Crocodilians have complete anatomical separation between the ventricles, similar to birds and mammals, but retain the dual aortic arch system found in all non-avian reptiles. This cardiac anatomy allows surgical modification that prevents right-to-left (R–L) cardiac shunt. A R–L shunt is a bypass of the pulmonary circulation and recirculation of oxygen-poor blood back to the systemic circulation and has often been observed during the frequent apnoeic periods of non-avian reptiles, particularly during diving in aquatic species. We eliminated R–L shunt in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) by surgically occluding the left aorta (LAo; arising from right ventricle) upstream and …