In vivo induction of different venous thromboembolism by use of DC electrical shock on jugular vein endothelium.

OBJECTIVE

Aim: This study aimed to establish a novel rabbit model using direct electrical stimulation to induce internal jugular vein injury and subsequent organ-specific thrombosis.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Materials and

Methods

Twenty-one male New Zealand White rabbits underwent jugular vein thrombosis induction via direct current (DC) electrical stimulation. D-Dimer assays confirmed thrombus formation. Histopathological analyses of the lungs, heart, and brain assessed thromboembolic changes. Thrombosis induction was tested at varying DC voltages and exposure durations: 6 V for 60 s, 12 V for 120 s, and 24 V for 180 s.

RESULTS

Results

In the lungs (6 V/60 s), thrombi exhibited characteristic lines of Zahn with dense platelet and fibrin deposition, alveolar wall destruction, emphysematous changes, and wedge-shaped hemorrhagic pulmonary infarctions. In the heart (12 V/120 s), thrombus formation was observed in coronary arteries, with interstitial hemorrhage and altered cardiac muscle fibers showing rounded and oval nuclei. In the brain (24 V/180 s), acute neuronal injury was evident, including shrunken eosinophilic "red neurons," cerebral edema, liquefactive necrosis, small-vessel hemorrhage, and astrocyte proliferation. These findings indicate voltage- and duration-dependent induction of thromboembolism with organ-specific distribution.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions

Direct DC electrical stimulation induces deep vein thrombosis in rabbits in a voltage- and duration-dependent manner. Lower voltage and shorter exposure primarily affect the lungs, moderate settings target the heart, and higher voltage with longer duration affect the brain. This model provides a controlled platform for studying organ-specific thromboembolism and evaluating therapeutic interventions, especially if laboratory tests related to coagulation parameters are applied, they may help in identifying the components of the formed clot. Similarly, using lower or higher electrical currents at different intervals may reveal more precise pathological changes, thus contributing to the application of more specialized pharmaceutical treatments.