Evaluating a calcium chloride-elastase combination for creating large aneurysms in the endovascular rabbit elastase...

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Animal Models

Background:

• Large aneurysms pose a significant rupture risk, necessitating reliable in vivo models for testing endovascular therapies.
• Previous surgical models indicated calcium chloride (CaCl2) enhances elastase-induced aneurysm size.
• The efficacy of CaCl2 in endovascular aneurysm induction remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if calcium chloride (CaCl2) combined with elastase promotes larger aneurysm formation via an endovascular approach in a rabbit model.
• To compare aneurysm dimensions created with elastase alone versus elastase plus CaCl2.

Main Methods:

• Aneurysms were induced in the carotid arteries of New Zealand rabbits using either elastase alone or elastase with CaCl2.
• Aneurysm patency was confirmed using digital subtraction angiography after four weeks.
• Key dimensions (neck, width, height) and estimated volumes were measured and statistically analyzed.

Main Results:

• The CaCl2-elastase group exhibited a significantly larger mean neck size compared to the elastase-alone group (p=0.02).
• No significant differences were observed in aneurysm width, height, or volume between the two groups.
• All induced aneurysms remained patent at the four-week follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Calcium chloride (CaCl2) modestly increases the neck size of elastase-induced aneurysms in an endovascular rabbit model.
• CaCl2 did not significantly enhance overall aneurysm dimensions (width, height, volume).
• Further investigation is required to determine the utility of CaCl2 in developing endovascular aneurysm models.