【Animal Modeling】-The application of intracavitary shunt plug in rat abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation

  Objective To investigate the application of intravascular shunt plug in establishing a rat model of heterotopic abdominal heart transplantation.

  Method 40 male SD rats were divided into traditional group and improved group, 20 rats in each group, anesthetized with 2% sodium pentobarbital. The donor rat was intubated through the oral trachea, and the chest was opened in the middle and then mechanically ventilated. A 20G blunt needle inserted through the right common carotid artery was injected with about 10 mL of 4°C HTK solution to cause cardiac arrest. After obtaining the donor heart, put it in 4℃ HTK solution for storage. In the traditional group, the classic rat abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation was still used for operation. The improved group adopted the following methods: Clamping the inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta respectively, placing a shunt plug after incising the vessel and fixing both ends. Anastomose the donor's main pulmonary artery and ascending aorta with the recipient's inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta. Clamp the inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta again, remove the shunt plug and tie the exhaust line to knot, and open the vascular clamp after confirming that there is no bleeding.

  Results The improved group had 10 successful operations, and the donor heart survived for more than 72 hours. There was no lower limb ischemia or paraplegia, and no anastomosis was found. In the traditional group, 9 cases were successfully operated, and 1 case died of postoperative anastomotic bleeding. There was no significant difference in the total operation time between the two groups. The improved group is better than the traditional group in pathological manifestations of lower limb muscle tissue, total ischemic time, CKM and LDH content.

  Conclusion In rat abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation, the application of intraluminal shunt can shorten the vascular block time, reduce the difficulty of vascular anastomosis, and increase the success rate of the operation.