Establishment of atrial septal defect model in animal with the Brokenbrough needle via femoral vein

Objective: To explore the novel method to establish animal model of controllable sized atrial septal defect. Methods: Fourteen dogs of both sexes were selected, with weight ranging from 15 to 20 kg. Under guidance of fluoroscopy, ASD was established by using Brokenbrough needle and balloon dilatation. Results: Tow dogs died of cardiac tamponade. Other twelve dogs had ASD created successfully without complication. Conclusion: The method has the advantages of easy manipulation, size controllable and small amount of fluoroscopy exposure. (authors)