Premium
Rat Left Ventricular Pressure: Preferred Surgical Solution for Chronic Telemetric Monitoring
Author(s) -
Huetteman Daniel
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1197
Subject(s) - medicine , catheter , thoracotomy , thoracic cavity , cardiology , arterial catheter , thoracic aorta , aortic valve , aortic pressure , ventricular pressure , telemetry , aorta , blood pressure , surgery , engineering , aerospace engineering
Telemetric monitoring for chronic left ventricular (LV) pressure in rodents has long been sought by cardiovascular researchers. Implantable radio‐telemetry transmitters designed for systemic arterial pressure in rats have been available for many years but their utility for accurately monitoring LV pressure has been limited. A newly miniaturized pressure device (PA‐C10, DSI, St. Paul, MN) has become available for detection of physiologic pressures in mice. The superior frequency response and 1.2 Fr catheter of the mouse device provides a more refined solution for the accurate monitoring of chronic LV pressure in rats. Anatomically, pressure in the LV can be easily accessed by advancing a catheter retrograde from the systemic arteries, through the aortic valve, and into the LV. Advancing the catheter through the aorta is a simple procedure but, in a chronic application, the prolonged presence of the catheter in the aortic valve has been shown to cause premature pathologies. Direct catheterization of the LV apex delivers a highly accurate signal and is well tolerated by the animal. Direct LV cannulation, however, involves penetrating the thoracic cavity which dramatically complicates the surgical procedure. This study compares two methods of performing direct cannulation of the LV apex for chronic telemetric monitoring of LV pressure in the rat; 1. Thoracic access via a trans‐diaphragmatic incision with the PA‐C10 transmitter placed within the peritoneal cavity and 2. Thoracic access via a left thoracotomy with the PA‐C10 transmitter placed sub‐cutaneously.