A nonhuman primate vascular shunt model for thrombus generation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Hematology
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Thrombus formation is a critical factor in cardiovascular disease and medical device performance.
• Developing reliable models for studying thrombus generation is essential for advancing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a nonhuman primate model for thrombus generation.
• To evaluate the impact of test device design and material on thrombus formation.
• To identify optimal conditions for thrombus generation in a controlled setting.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of polystyrene or polyethylene-Silastic test devices (simple tube, vortical, turbulent flow) to flowing blood in rhesus monkey arterioarterial or arteriovenous shunts.
• Gravimetric determination of thrombus deposition after 15-minute exposure.
• Hematologic analysis including platelet count, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen levels, and fibrin degradation products.

Main Results:

• Vortical flow devices generated the most thrombus.
• Polystyrene devices consistently produced larger thrombus deposits than polyethylene-Silastic devices.
• Arteriovenous shunts provided more predictable flow compared to arterioarterial shunts.

Conclusions:

• An optimal thrombus generation model utilizes vortical flow devices made of polystyrene within an arteriovenous shunt.
• This model demonstrates progressive platelet count reduction and minimal impact on coagulation parameters.
• The findings provide a foundation for evaluating blood-contacting devices and understanding thrombosis.