Rodent Inferior Vena Cava Venoplasty Balloon Model

Summary

The protocol presents a survival rodent model to test venoplasty balloon (VB) interventions in non-thrombotic, thrombotic, and post-thrombotic deep veins.

Abstract

Balloon venoplasty is a commonly used clinical technique to treat deep vein stenosis and occlusion as a consequence of trauma, congenital anatomic abnormalities, acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or stenting. Chronic deep venous obstruction is histopathologically characterized by thrombosis, fibrosis, or both. Currently, no direct treatment is available to target these pathological processes. Therefore, a reliable in vivo animal model to test novel interventions is necessary. The rodent survival inferior vena cava (IVC) venoplasty balloon model (VBM) allows the study of balloon venoplasty in non-thrombotic and post-thrombotic conditions across multiple time points. The local and systemic effect of coated and uncoated venoplasty balloons can be quantified via tissue, thrombus, and blood assays such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), zymography, vein wall and thrombus cellular analysis, whole blood and plasma assays, and histological analysis. The VBM is reproducible, replicates surgical human interventions, can identify local vein wall-thrombi protein changes, and allows multiple analyses from the same sample, decreasing the number of animals required per group.

Introduction

Deep vein obstructions from unresolved thrombi are a common consequence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and are one of the causes of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), costing billions of dollars in healthcare and significantly impacting the quality of life^1,2,3. PTS is a unique inflammatory pathology with consequent vein wall fibrosis⁴ not fully captured in small animal DVT models^5,6,7, and more importantly, previous models cannot evaluate the response to therapeu....

Protocol

The following protocol follows the University of Michigan (UMICH) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) policies and guidelines, the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training, and the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0. The UMICH Animal Welfare Assurance agreement is compliant with OLAW and USDA and is fully accredited by AAALAC International. This protocol was approved with the ID number PRO00010841. Male outbred Sprague Dawley rats from Charle.......

Discussion

The VBM can be performed on rats ≥ 250 g using balloons in the 2.5-3.5 mm range. For rats exceeding 750 g, the technique is limited by a higher amount of adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity and organ size rather than changes in IVC diameter. From our experience, we have found that 10 or more animals per group are needed to obtain statistical significance between the groups for vein wall protein analysis or activity assays and histology. Periodic temperature control and respiration rate surveillance during surgic.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
3-0 DemeCRYL	DemeTech	G183019F4P	12 per box
5-0 DemeCRYL	DemeTech	G285017B0P	12 per box
7-0 DemeLENE	DemeTech	PM197011F13M	12 per box
8-0 DemeLON	DemeTech	NL868007C7P	12 per box
Angled Clip Applier	SCANLAN	3795-01A	7-1/4″ (18.5 cm)
Baxter 0.9% Sodium Chloride Irrigation Bottle	Baxter	SKU: 195-7124	1000mL Bottle
Bovie Cautery Low Temperature Fine Tip	Symmetry Surgical Inc	AA00	10/bx
Buprenorphine	Fidelis Animal Health	SKU- 099114	1.3mg/mL, 3mL
CD (Sprague Dawley) Rats	Charles River	Strain Code 001	Male, 400 gm
Clip-It Traceable Timer	TRACEABLE PRODUCTS	Cat. No. 5046
Cotton-Tip Applicator 3"	Dukal Corporation	922-00037BX100	1000/BOX
Enzymatic Surgical Instrument Detergent and Presoak	Medline	MDS88000B9	1 Gal
Eye Lube	Optixcare	SKU-065441	20gm
Gaymar T/Pump Stryker Localized Warming/Cooling Therapy System	Stryker	TP700
Heifetz Microclips 12mmx2.25mm	SCANLAN	3795-20	Straight
Heifetz Microclips 12mmx2.25mm	SCANLAN	3795-28	Curved
Heifetz Microclips 8mmx1.75mm	SCANLAN	3795-14	Straight
Heifetz Microclips 8mmx1.75mm	SCANLAN	3795-18	Curved
Inflation device	Merit Medical	IN4130	BasixCOMPAK with Analog Display
Isoflurane	MFR VETONE	SKU-501017	100mL, Liquid for Inhalation
Microsurgery kit containing tweezers and forceps	Customized
Oxygen, E-tank	Medline	MDM1630
Sharpened Guidewire	Customized
Sterile Glad Press-n-Seal	Glad	SKU # PSS-140	ETO Exposed
Sterile Nonwoven Gauze Sponges 2s 4ply 4x4	Medline	SKU PRM21444H	100Ct
Surgical microscope	Zeiss	S100 / OPMI pico
Surgical Scrub & Handwash	Vetoquinol	NDC: 17030-003-16	16 oz
Ultrasound Gel	Medline	CTR001305	8.5 oz, 12/CS
Ultrasound system	Siemens	ACUSON Antares	3-D, Color, Continuous wave (CW), Pulsed wave (PW), Power CW/CW Spectral
Venoplasty Balloon	Customized