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Improved Pig Model to Evaluate Heart Valve Thrombosis
Umashankar Payanam Ramachandra1, Sachin J Shenoy2, Sabareeswaran Arumugham2
1Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Electronic correspondence: umashnkr@sctimst.ac.in.
The Journal of Heart Valve Disease
|February 27, 2017
Summary
A new pig model using aspirin-clopidogrel effectively prevents thrombosis and bleeding, improving survival for mechanical heart valve evaluation. This reliable model aids preclinical assessment of prosthetic valve thrombogenicity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Preclinical Animal Models
Background:
- Sheep models have limitations for detecting heart valve thrombosis.
- Existing pig models for prosthetic valve thrombogenicity are hampered by bleeding and thrombosis complications.
- A reliable pig model is needed for mechanical heart valve evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an improved pig model for reliable evaluation of mechanical heart valve thrombogenicity.
- To assess the efficacy of aspirin-clopidogrel in preventing complications.
- To investigate the impact of antiplatelet therapy on valve thrombosis and pannus formation.
Main Methods:
- Mechanical heart valves were implanted in the mitral position of pigs.
- Pigs received either aspirin-clopidogrel or no antiplatelet therapy (control).
- Survivability, bleeding, thrombosis, pannus formation, and antiplatelet efficacy were monitored for six months.
Main Results:
- Pigs treated with aspirin-clopidogrel demonstrated improved survival and absence of thrombosis/bleeding.
- Reduced obstructive pannus formation was observed in the treatment group.
- Aspirin-clopidogrel showed inhibitory effects on the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation.
Conclusions:
- A novel pig model effectively evaluates heart valve thrombosis after chronic implantation.
- This model can be used to assess thrombogenicity of mechanical heart valves and other blood-contacting devices.
- Aspirin-clopidogrel therapy successfully prevents inadvertent thrombus formation and bleeding in this model.
