Inguinal Cannulation for Establishing Extracorporeal Circulation in Adult Porcine Model

Due to the similar size ratios, adult porcine models are suitable for cardiovascular and circulatory physiology studies on extracorporeal circulation. As standard, the connection to the cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) is established via a sternotomy and cannulation of large vessels. However, problems can arise during methodical implementation, for example, due to a small situs, vessels that are difficult to see, or vascular anomalies with a small aorta. An iatrogenic aortic rupture can lead to the termination of the experiment. Therefore, there is a need for further, safe access via the inguinal vessels. A heart-lung machine with a disposable set (hollow fiber oxygenator with a perfusion capacity of up 3,5 l/min) is used in the in vivo trial. For inguinal cannulation, the femoral artery and vein are dissected in the right groin. A 14-16 French (Fr.). Edwards Heartport cannula and a 22-Fr. SAP femoral cannula is used for cannulation. Cannulation is performed using the Seldinger technique. Inguinal cannulation resulted in significantly fewer aborted experiments in the large animal trials and allowed better relief of the heart during dissection. Inguinal cannulation to establish an extracorporeal circulation in a large animal model trial represents a safe approach. It results in minimal trauma to the aorta and improved visibility in the thorax. In addition, this access enables minimally invasive cardiac surgery. The focus is also on the ethical aspects of animal experiments and the associated experimental success.