Model of cardiac arrest in rats by transcutaneous electrical epicardium stimulation.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a new model of cardiac arrest (CA) in rats by transcutaneous electrical epicardium stimulation.


METHODS
Two acupuncture needles connected to the anode and cathode of a stimulator were transcutaneously inserted into the epicardium as electrodes. The stimulating current was steered to the epicardium and the stimulation was maintained for 3 min to induce CA. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed at 6 min after a period of nonintervention.


RESULTS
CA was successfully induced in a total of 20 rats. The success rate of induction was 12/20 at the current intensity of 1 mA; and reached 20/20 when the current intensity was increased to 2 mA. After the electrical stimulation, the femoral blood pressure quickly dropped below 25 mmHg and the arterial pulse waveform disappeared. The average time from the electrical stimulation to CA induction was 5.10 (+/-2.81) s. When the electrical stimulation stopped, 18/20 rats had ventricular fibrillation and 2/20 rats had pulseless electrical activity. CPR was performed for averagely 207.4 (+/-148.8) s. The restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was 20/20. The death rate within 4h after ROSC was 5/20, and the 72-h survival rate was 10/20. There were only two cases of complications, a minor muscle contraction and a minor lung lobe injury.


CONCLUSIONS
The model of CA in rats induced by transcutaneous electrical epicardium stimulation is a stable model that requires low-intensity current and has fewer complications. This model may provide another option for experimental research of CA induced by malignant arrhythmia (especially VF).
Lin
Ji-yan
JY
Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Liao
Xiao-xing
XX
Li
Hui
H
Wei
Hong-yan
HY
Liu
Rong
R
Hu
Chun-lin
CL
Huang
Guo-qing
GQ
Dai
Gang
G
Li
Xin
X
D000818:Animals; D001775:Blood Circulation; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D010496:Pericardium; D011674:Pulse; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects