title: Anesthesia for cardiovascular interventions and magnetic resonance imaging in pigs.
abstract: Large animal models are still required for many experimental purposes. The aim of the current study was to define a viable narcotic procedure for experimental cardiovascular interventions and imaging in pigs. A total of 32 domestic pigs were used. Animals received propofol, midazolam, and fentanyl as continuous intravenous infusion anesthesia for complex vascular interventions, angiographic X-ray imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Anesthesia was maintained for 6 to 10 h. The initial hourly doses were 2.29 mg/kg of propofol, 1.14 mg/kg of midazolam, and 0.009 mg/kg of fentanyl, with controlled ventilation. Anesthesia, interventions, imaging, periods of apnea of as long as 2 min, and transportation were well-tolerated. Stress-induced arrhythmias were not noted, and artifact-free imaging was achieved. The combination of propofol, midazolam, and fentanyl is well-suited for experimental angiographic interventional studies, experimental cardiovascular MRI, and MR-guided interventions in pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Gernot M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Breuckmann
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aker
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eggebrecht
authors.forename: Hilmar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuehl
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erbel
authors.forename: Nils R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Fruhauf
authors.forename: Christoph E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Broelsch
authors.forename: Harald H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Quick
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000295:instrumentation; D000818:Animals; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures; D007756:Laboratory Animal Science / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000601:surgery*