The refined coronary artery ligation protocol achieved zero perioperative mortality and 94% successful ligation in 172 rats, enhancing reliability in preclinical MI research.
Does an optimized permanent coronary artery ligation protocol improve survival and successful ligation rates in rat models of myocardial infarction?
An optimized permanent coronary artery ligation protocol in rats achieves zero perioperative mortality and a 94% success rate, improving the reliability and animal welfare of preclinical myocardial infarction models.
Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%
Rodents models of myocardial infarction (MI) continue to be frequently used in preclinical cardiovascular research, despite alternative approaches being on the rise. The commonly used coronary artery permanent ligation (PL) approach is often hampered by substantial perioperative mortality and variable success rates. We optimized the rat PL protocol by relying exclusively on isoflurane inhalation anesthesia by introducing a standardized intubation setup, maintaining strict control of body temperature throughout surgery, and surgical technique refinements. The latter included gentle mobilization of the Pectoralis major and thymus, a medial thoracotomy through the third intercostal space, and the use of a reference ligature to facilitate reliable identification and ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Cardiac rhythm was continuously monitored, and extubation was carefully timed to reduce complications. With this protocol, perioperative mortality was reduced to zero and successful ligation was obtained in 94% of animals (n = 172). Echocardiography and histology confirmed consistent induction of infarcts. By lowering invasiveness and improving survival and reproducibility, the refined PL method enhances both the reliability of preclinical research and compliance with the 3Rs, representing a meaningful step forward for studies in cardiac regeneration.
Heeren et al. (Mon,) reported a other. The refined coronary artery ligation protocol achieved zero perioperative mortality and 94% successful ligation in 172 rats, enhancing reliability in preclinical MI research.