Model of Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury in Rabbits

Summary

The present study demonstrates a highly reproducible animal model of acute regional myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in rabbits using a left mini-thoracotomy for survival cases or a midline sternotomy for non-survival cases.

Abstract

The protocol here provides a simple, highly replicable methodology to induce in situ acute regional myocardial ischemia in the rabbit for non-survival and survival experiments. New Zealand White adult rabbit is sedated with atropine, acepromazine, butorphanol, and isoflurane. The animal is intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. An intravenous catheter is inserted into the marginal ear vein for the infusion of medications. The animal is pre-medicated with heparin, lidocaine, and lactated Ringer's solution. A carotid cut-down is performed to obtain arterial line access for blood pressure monitoring. Select physiologic and mechanical parameters are monitored and recorded by continuous real-time analysis.

With the animal sedated and fully anesthetized, either a fourth intercostal space small left thoracotomy (survival) or midline sternotomy (non-survival) is performed. The pericardium is opened, and the left anterior descending (LAD) artery is located.

A polypropylene suture is passed around the second or third diagonal branch of the LAD artery, and the polypropylene filament is threaded through a small vinyl tube, forming a snare. The animal is subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia, achieved by occluding the LAD by tightening the snare. Myocardial ischemia is confirmed visually by regional cyanosis of the epicardium. Following regional ischemia, the ligature is loosened, and the heart is allowed to re-perfuse.

For both survival and non-survival experiments, the myocardial function can be assessed via an echocardiography (ECHO) measurement of the fractional shortening. For non-survival studies, data from sonomicrometry collected using three digital piezoelectric ultrasonic probes implanted within the ischemic area and the left ventricle developed pressure (LVDP) using an apically inserted left ventricle (LV) catheter can be continuously acquired for evaluating the regional and global myocardial function, respectively.

For survival studies, the incision is closed, a left needle thoracentesis is performed for pleural air evacuation, and postoperative pain control is achieved.

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world and contribute to over 18 million deaths each year^1,2,3. Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a common medical emergency that develops when a blood clot or a piece of atheromatous plaque blocks the blood flow of a coronary artery. This causes regional myocardial ischemia in the territory that the artery perfuses.

The present study describes a protocol that utilizes a simple and reliable methodology to create in situ acute regional myocardial ischemia in a rabbit model for n....

Protocol

This investigation was conducted according to the National Institutes of Health's guidelines on animal care and use and was approved by the Boston Children's Hospital's Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol 20-08-4247R). All the animals received humane care in compliance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

1. Animal species, anesthetic, and analgesic agents

1. Animal species: Use New Zealand White rabbits (wild type strain; female sex; sexually mature 15-20 weeks old; 3-4 kg body weight) for experimental studies.
2. Anesthetic and analgesic agents:
   1. Use atropin....

Results

Following the protocol (Figure 1), myocardial ischemia was confirmed immediately by the direct visualization of cyanosis of the epicardium.

Standard ECGs (three limb leads: I, II, and III, and three computed augmented leads: aVL, aVR, and aVF) were recorded continuously pre-ischemia, during ischemia, and at reperfusion (Figure 2). The ECGs demonstrate tachycardia, arrhythmias (i.e., ventricular fibrillation), conduction system defects.......

Discussion

Our protocol demonstrates a reliable methodology for performing acute regional myocardial ischemia in the rabbit. The left mini-thoracotomy approach is ideal for survival cases, for which the incision and associated pain must be minimized. Importantly, diuretic therapy was not necessary prior to extubation, and there was no mortality intraoperatively in the non-survival group or at 4 weeks postoperatively in the survival group. When the design of the protocol requires a non-survival case, or when more detailed monitoring.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
#10 blade	Bard Parker	371210
#11 blade	Fisher Scientific	B3L
22 G PIV needle	BD Insyte	381423
Acepromazine	VETONE	NDC 13985-587-50	0.5 mg/kg IM and IV
Aline pressure bag	Infu-Stat	2139
Angiocath	Becton Dickinson	382512
Arterial Catheter	Teleflex	MC-004912
Atropine	Hikma Pharmaceuticals	NDC 0641-6006-01	0.01 mg/kg IM
Betadine and 70% isopropyl alcohol	McKesson	NDC 68599-2302-6
Blood gas machine	Siemens	MRK0025
Bovie	Valleylab	E6008
Bulldog clamps	World Precision Instruments	14119
Bupivacaine	Auromedics	NDC 55150-249-50	3 mg/kg IM
Butorphanol	Roxane	NDC 2054-3090-36	0.5 mg/kg IM
Clear acetate sheet	Oxford Instruments	ID 51-1625-0213
Clipers	Andis	AGC2
DeBakey forceps	Integra	P6280
Echocardiography machine	Philips	IE33 F1
Electrocardiography machine	Meditech	MD908B
Endotracheal tube	Medline	#922774
Fentanyl	West-Ward	NDC 0641-6030-01	1–4 µg/kg transdermal patch
Formaldehyde solution 10%	Epredia	94001
Glass plates	United Scientific	B01MUHX6MR
Heparin Sodium	Sagent	NDC 69-0058-02	1000U in 1 mL 3 mg/kg
Hot water blanket	3M	55577
Isoflurane	Penn Veterinary Supply, INC	NDC 50989-606-15	1%–3%
Ketamine	Dechra	NDC 42023-138-10	10 mg/kg IV
Lab Chart 7 Acquisition Software	Adinstruments
Lactated Ringer's solution	ICUmedical	NDC 0990-7953-09	10 mL/kg/h
Laryngoscope	Welch Allyn	68044
Left ventricule lumen catheter 3Fr	McKesson	385764-EA
Lidocaine (1%)	Pfizer	4276-01	1–1.5 mL/kg IV
LVDP transducer	Edward	PDP-ED
Marking pen	Viscot	1451SR-100 Unsterile
Mayo scissors	Mayo	S7-1098
Medetomidine	Entireoly Pets Pharmacy	NDC 015914-005-01	0.25 mg/kg IM
Metzenbaum scissors	Cole-Parmer	UX-10821-05
Monastra. Blue pigment 98%	Chemsavers	MBTR1100G
Monocryl 5-0	Ethicon	Y463G
Mosquito clamp	Shioda	802N
PDS 3-0	Ethicon	42312201
Piezoelectric sonomicrometry crystals	Sonometrics	Small 2mm round
Plegets	DeRoyal	32-363
Povuine Iodine Prep Solutions	Medline	MDS093940
Precision vaporized system face mask	Yuwell	B07PNH69BF
Prolene 3-0	Ethicon	8665G
Proline 5-0	Ethicon	8661G
Pulse oximetry probe	Masimo	9216-U
Rib spreader	Medline	MDS5621025
S12 Pediatric Sector Probe	Phillips	21380A
Sonomicrometer	Sonometrics	BZ10123724
Sterile gauze	Medline	3.00802E+13
Sterile towels	McKesson	MON 277860EA
Sternal retractor	Medline	MDS5610321
Sutures for closure	J&J Dental	8698G
Telemetriy monitor	Meditech	MD908B
Temperature probe	Omega	KHSS-116G-RSC-12
Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (1%)	Millipore	MFCD00011963
Ventilator	MedGroup	MSLGA 11
Vicryl 2-0	Ethicon	V635H
Vinyl tubing	ABE	DISW 3001