University Hospital Antwerp 1 article published in JoVE Medicine Sterile Pericarditis in Aachener Minipigs As a Model for Atrial Myopathy and Atrial Fibrillation Michiel R. L. Tubeeckx1, Steven Laga2, Christel Jacobs3, Marina Stroe4, Steven Van Cruchten4, Bo Goovaerts1, Jens Van fraeyenhove1, Hielko Miljoen5, Guido R. Y. De Meyer1, Gilles W. De Keulenaer1,6, Hein Heidbuchel5,7, Vincent F. M. Segers1,5 1Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, 3Department of Animal Welfare, University of Antwerp, 4Comparative Perinatal Development, University of Antwerp, 5Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Antwerp, 6Department of Cardiology, ZNA Middelheim Hospital, 7Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, GENCOR, University of Antwerp We describe a sterile pericarditis model in minipigs to study atrial myopathy and atrial fibrillation (AF). We present surgical and anesthetic techniques, strategies for vascular access, and a protocol to study the inducibility of AF.
