Ochsner Medical Center 2 articles published in JoVE Medicine Porcine Model of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Alexander H. Shannon1, J. Michael Cullen1, Jolian J. Dahl1, Erik J. Scott1, Zachary Tyerman1, Michael D. Spinosa1, William G. Montgomery1, W. Forrest Johnston2, Guanyi Lu3, Morgan Salmon*1, Gorav Ailawadi*1,4, Gilbert R. Upchurch Jr.*3 1Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 2Department of Surgery, Ochsner Medical Center, 3Department of Surgery, University of Florida, 4The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine This novel model creates robust infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms in swine using a combination of balloon angioplasty, elastase/collagenase perfusion, topical elastase application, and oral compound β-aminopropionitrile administration, which interferes with collagen cross-linking. Medicine Murine Surgical Model of Topical Elastase Induced Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Zachary Tyerman1, Jolian Dahl1, Alexander Shannon1, W. Forrest Johnston2, Nicholas H. Pope1, Guanyi Lu3, Gilbert R. Upchurch Jr.3, Gorav Ailawadi1,4, Morgan Salmon1 1Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, 2Department of Surgery, Ochsner Medical Center, 3Department of Surgery, University of Florida, 4The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine We describe a surgical protocol to consistently induce robust descending thoracic aortic aneurysms in mice. The procedure involves left thoracotomy, thoracic aorta exposure, and placement of a sponge soaked in porcine pancreatic elastase on the aortic wall.