Aneurysm induction in pig carotid artery: an endovascular model

• Grant number: 13/21177-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2014
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Quilici Belczak
• Grantee: Sergio Quilici Belczak
• Host Institution: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein (IIEPAE). Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein (SBIBAE). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Erasmo Simão da Silva ; Fabio Sândoli de Brito Júnior ; Igor Rafael Sincos ; Ricardo Aun ; Thiago Pinheiro Arrais Aloia

Abstract

Arterial aneurysm is a pathological entity defined by a localized dilation of the vessel. There is a wide variety of published studies in search of an experimental animal model of aneurysm that would closely mimic the histological, morphological, hemodynamic and physiopathology features of human disease. To date there is no experimental model of aneurysm that is consistently reproducible and that, at the same time, reproduces the main features found in human aneurysm. This project proposes the development of such a model using pigs as experimental animal. The aneurisms will be induced by injection of a CaCl2 solution (or buffered normal saline in controls) into the lumen of the carotid artery using a special catheter localized in the artery guided by previous catheterization via the femoral artery. The procedure will be carried out under general anesthesia. The animals will be followed with weekly ultrasound exams and, after a period estimated as 4 weeks, the carotid artery will be removed for tests. Biomechanical and histopathological studies of the carotids will be done. The endovascular approach proposed is minimally invasive because it needs no surgical neck incisions reducing inherent complications such as pain, wound infection and dehiscence, thus eliminating the interference of the wound healing process. An additional advantage of a porcine model is that the animal's neck is long and the vessels are superficial facilitating serial Doppler evaluations and easy access to conventional surgery. (AU)