Establishment of mesenteric venous thrombosis in a porcine model using a transhepatic endovascular approach

By using endovascular techniques, we set up an animal model of mesenteric venous thrombosis to avoid surgical laparotomy.

Ten pigs underwent percutaneous transhepatic puncture to create animal model of acute superior mesenteric venous thrombosis. Experimental animals were injected with thrombin via indwelling catheter, while sham-operated animals with receiving physiological saline instead of thrombin. Animals were divided into three groups according to the time of thrombosis: the control (n=3, sham group), group A (n=3, 24h follow up) and group B (n=4, 72 h follow up). Blood samples were collected and tested at the baseline and end of the experiment from the systemic circulation (jugular vein). A pathologist, blinded to the performed interventions, graded the ischemic lesions.

Nine pigs were successfully conducted MVT model, while one died of liver rupture during the experiment. White blood cell (WBC) count (group A: 18.77 ± 1.29, group B: 28.93 ± 3.13), D-dimer (group A: 8.30 ± 1.93, group B: 17.30 ± 2.48) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (group A: 452.13 ± 53.14, group B: 753.97 ± 65.29) showed a rapid step-up between the experimental animals and control animals (P<0.05), while hemoglobin (HB) count (group A: 106.63 ± 3.84, group B: 90.00 ± 2.43) and albumin (group A: 35.83 ± 1.15, group B: 27.60 ± 1.44) a steady decline (P<0.05). Changes of these parameters correlated with duration of mesenteric ischemia by statistical analysis (P<0.05).

The endovascular approach in this minimally invasive porcine model of mesenteric venous thrombosis was feasible. Moreover, further animal studies are underway to evaluate the effectiveness and reproducibility of endovascular technique for MVT model.