A Murine Model of Carotid Aneurysm Formation

Our research works are reproducible murine carotid aneurysm model to investigate mechanisms and evaluate new therapeutic strategies for analyzing treatment. To begin, prepare the surgical site on the animal with Betadine and 70%ethanol solutions. And place the surgical drape.

Using surgical scissors, make a one centimeter vertical incision along the midline of the neck. Starting from just below the jawline. Cut through the dermis and underlying fascia.

Use blunt forceps to mobilize the submandibular gland laterally. Taking care not to damage surrounding tissues. Gently lift the gland and separate it from the sternum by blunt dissection.

Secure the gland with a small sterile retractor or clip to maintain a clear surgical field. Identify the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle. Use blunt forceps to lift the muscle gently, and thread a 5/0 braided silk suture underneath.

Reflect the muscle laterally by gently pulling the suture to expose the carotid sheath. Open the carotid sheath using sharp forceps. Carefully separate the carotid artery from the adjacent jugular vein and vagus nerve.

To improve visibility, insert a sterile silicone cuff or retractor beneath the carotid artery. Avoid causing trauma to the artery or surrounding structures. Using sharp forceps, scoop the carotid artery and thread a 9/0 suture underneath.

Tie a secure double knot to ligate the artery, ensuring proper tension to occlude blood flow without damaging the vessel. Trim the suture ends to minimize tissue irritation. Using a syringe, apply a couple of drops of sterile porcine elastase solution at 10 units diluted in one milliliter of saline solution over 10 or 20 minutes.

Once the elastase treatment time is completed, use a sterile cotton swab to remove excess elastase. If desired, use sterile normal saline to wash out the remaining elastase solution. Finally, remove any retaining sutures or clips to prepare for closure.

Approximate the skin edges using sterile nylon suture 5/0 or surgical staples. Finally, apply gentle pressure with sterile gauze to ensure hemostasis. A total of 15 female wild type mice underwent the aneurysm induction procedure following the standardized protocol.

Two weeks after surgery, aneurysm formation was successfully achieved in approximately 87%of the mice as confirmed by gross morphological examination. Aneurysm formation was also visualized under microscopy by disruption of the internal elastic lamina. Our results shows that in the Matiq base ward degradation combined with altered human dynamics reproduces key in human dynamic groups.

Compared with intercranial models, our approach is faster, more accessible, and allow testing when in the background of former project intubations in mice. This standardized murine model promotes cross study comparability and helps write therapeutics testing for aneurysm prevention and treatment.