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Common swine models of cardiovascular disease for research and training

Lab Animal volume 45, pages 67–74 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are a major health concern and therefore an important topic in biomedical research. Large animal models allow researchers to assess the safety and efficacy of new cardiovascular procedures in systems that resemble human anatomy; additionally, they can be used to emulate scenarios for training purposes. Among the many biomedical models that are described in published literature, it is important that researchers understand and select those that are best suited to achieve the aims of their research, that facilitate the humane care and management of their research animals and that best promote the high ethical standards required of animal research. In this resource the authors describe some common swine models that can be easily incorporated into regular practices of research and training at biomedical institutions. These models use both native and altered vascular anatomy of swine to carry out research protocols, such as testing biological reactions to implanted materials, surgically creating aneurysms using autologous tissue and inducing myocardial infarction through closed-chest procedures. Such models can also be used for training, where native and altered vascular anatomy allow medical professionals to learn and practice challenging techniques in anatomy that closely simulates human systems.

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Figure 1: Researchers can model carotid aneurysms and study the effects of aneurysm treatments by artificially creating an aneurysm using autologous tissue.
Figure 2: Researchers can model myocardial infarction without opening the chest by percutaneously placing and inflating an endovascular balloon to occlude select arteries and cause targeted ischemia.
Figure 3: Researchers can also model carotid aneurysms for the purpose of training aneurysm treatment techniques.
Figure 4: Researchers can model calcified and stenotic lesions at bifurcations within the coronary tree for the purpose of training coronary intervention techniques such as rotational atherectomy.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Juan Maestre, María Borrega, Alejandra Usón and Helena Martín for their outstanding technical assistance during experimental work. We also thank Carmen Calles-Vazquez, PhD and Javier Fernandez-Portales, PhD, for their excellent technical help during the creation of various models.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre, Cáceres, Spain

    Verónica Crisóstomo,  Fei Sun,  Claudia Báez-Díaz,  Virginia Blanco,  Monica Garcia-Lindo,  Jesús Usón-Gargallo &  Francisco Miguel Sánchez-Margallo

  2. Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Manuel Maynar

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  1. Verónica Crisóstomo
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Crisóstomo, V., Sun, F., Maynar, M. et al. Common swine models of cardiovascular disease for research and training. Lab Anim 45, 67–74 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.935

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