title: Transauricular arterial or venous access for cardiovascular experimental protocols in animals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a safe percutaneous method of transauricular endovascular access in small and large animals that uses basic catheter-based interventional skills and renders surgery and general anesthesia with intubation unnecessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty New Zealand White rabbits and five domestic juvenile swine were used in the experiments. Animals were restrained in the supine position after induction of dissociative anesthesia. Transauricular endovascular access was accomplished by percutaneous catheterization of the auricular artery or vein, roadmap imaging, introduction of a 0.018-inch hydrophilic guide wire, and over-the-wire vascular sheath insertion after serial tract dilations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Technical success rates were 90% and 100% for intraarterial and endovenous access in the rabbit, respectively, and 100% for both routes in the pig. The largest sheaths inserted were 5 F in the rabbits' aortae, 7 F in the rabbits' venae cavae, 6 F in the pigs' aortae, and 8 F in the pigs' venae cavae. Animal recovery was uneventful, and 48-hour necropsy detected only minor perivascular hematoma in cases of transauricular intraarterial access. Peripheral, intracoronary, intrapulmonary, and intracerebral selective vascular access was safe and feasible. A method of reserving the transauricular endovascular access for future interventions or follow-up by placement of indwelling hydrophilic catheters was also established.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transauricular endovascular access is a successful technique for establishing and maintaining intraarterial or endovenous vascular access. It obviates surgical cutdown and sacrifice of the femoral and cervical vessels and might considerably improve and expedite cardiovascular experimental protocols in small and large animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, GR 26500, Rion, Greece. karnaby@med.upatras.gr
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karnabatidis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katsanos
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diamantopoulos
authors.forename: George C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Kagadis
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siablis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004423:Ear / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits; D012449:Safety; D013552:Swine; D014680:Veins