Establishment and evaluation of acute pulmonary embolism model in rabbit monitored with echocardiography

Objective: To establish acute pulmonary embolism (APE) model in rabbit under echocardiography, and compare with the pathological results, and explore the feasibility of establishment of APE model monitored with echocardiography. Methods: APE models were established in 25 healthy Japanese white rabbits. The rabbit models of APE were created by right external jugular vena catheter using gelatin sponge monitored with echocardiography. Gelatin sponge emboli, 2 mm x 2 mm x 10 mm each, following with 5 mL physiologic saline were injected separately to right atrium via the right external jugular vein, which could make these emboli embolize pulmonary artery following blood stream. And the pulmonary artery systolic pressure was detected. Then the lung tissues slices near embolism place were detected by pathology after the model rabbits were dissected. Results: Twenty-three rabbit models with APE were successfully established from twenty-five healthy rabbits. However, one rabbit was unexpectedly dead because of anesthesia, another rabbit was dead owing to acute congestive heart failure of cor dextrum by emboli stagnation in cor dextrum. The echocardiogram of rabbits before and after model establishment showed that the pulmonary artery systolic pressure was significantly increased after APE, the main pulmonary artery, the left pulmonary artery and the right pulmonary artery were passively expanded. The right ventricle was increased and left ventricle was decreased oppositely, interventricular septum expanded toward left ventricle. there was significant difference compared with pre-embolism (P< 0.01). Gelatin sponge emboli in the pulmonary artery were detected by pathological detection. Conclusion: The method to establish APE model monitored with echocardiography is simple and feasible. It could be used as one of methods to establish APE model, animal. (authors)