Swine model of carotid artery atherosclerosis: experimental induction by surgical partial ligation and dietary hypercholesterolemia.

INTRODUCTION

Limited availability of a large animal model of carotid atherosclerosis has limited preclinical evaluation of endovascular therapeutic devices. The present study is aimed at developing such animal models with a novel approach, emphasizing the role of hemodynamics.

METHODS

Using 18 carotid arteries from 9 miniswine, surgical partial ligation (approximately 80% stenosis) was carried out in untreated (group I; n = 6) and balloon-injured arteries (group II; n = 9). Three arteries were subjected to sham-operation for control (group III; n = 3). All animals were fed with a high-fat diet until sacrifice. Angiograms and histologic sections of the vessels were analyzed to evaluate both models.

RESULTS

Atherosclerotic changes were confirmed in 6 of 6 in group I and 6 of 9 arteries in group II, whereas all in group III remained intact. Three arteries in group II resulted in thrombotic occlusion. Advanced plaques with intraplaque hemorrhage and/or calcification were seen in 4 of 6 arteries in group I but none in group II. The cross-sectional area stenosis and atherosclerotic stage for plaques in group I were both significantly higher than that in groups II and III.

CONCLUSION

In this series, surgical partial ligation with concomitant dietary hyperlipidemia is an appropriate experimental technique to develop advanced atherosclerotic plaques with minimal technical complications. This model showed no evidence of such benefits when applied in balloon-injured arteries.