Terminal Harvest Procedure of a Large Animal Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia with Hemodynamic Characterization and Perfusion Analysis

Reproducibility and research integrity are foundational tenets to scientific discovery, which are produced utilizing well-established, proven principles and protocols. Furthermore, with the ever-increasing prevalence and burden cardiovascular disease (CVD) places on individuals and society at large, it deems essential to cultivate robust and validated model for investigation. Our group utilizes a two-surgery protocol in a swine model that has been progressively refined over the last twenty years, in which we first induce chronic myocardial ischemia by placement of an ameroid constrictor mimicking the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD) in humans. The second and terminal procedure is a comprehensive and thoughtful collection of cardiac hemodynamic parameters as well as regional coronary perfusion, followed by beating heart euthanasia and detailed sectioning of the heart. Our lab uses isotope-labeled microspheres to analyze myocardial blood flow to the ischemic area as a powerful method to quantify collateralization due to experimental therapeutic agents. Furthermore, and likely the most important measurable cardiovascular outcome, we utilize left ventricular pressure-volume (PV) loop catheterization to measure a broad range of hemodynamic parameters. We hope by detailing the comprehensive cardiac analysis of our swine model of chronic myocardial ischemia, other researchers may improve and cultivate their own protocols and therapy investigation for the elimination of cardiovascular disease.