Sheep (Ovis aries) as a model for cardiovascular surgery and management before, during, and after cardiopulmonary
Louis DiVincenti1, Robin Westcott2, Candice Lee3
1Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA. louis_divincenti@urmc.rochester.edu.
Abstract:
Because of its similarity to humans in important respects, sheep (Ovis aries) are a common animal model for translational research in cardiovascular surgery. However, some unique aspects of sheep anatomy and physiology present challenges to its use in these complicated experiments. In this review, we discuss relevant anatomy and physiology of sheep and discuss management before, during, and after procedures requiring cardiopulmonary bypass to provide a concise source of information for veterinarians, technicians, and researchers developing and implementing protocols with this model.
