title: High-flow venous pouch aneurysm in the rabbit carotid artery: A model for large aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently one of the most widely used models for the development of endovascular techniques and coiling devices for treatment of aneurysm is the elastase-induced aneurysm model in the rabbit carotid artery. Microsurgical techniques for creating an aneurysm with a venous pouch have also been established, although both techniques usually result in aneurysms less than 1 cm in diameter. We investigated whether an increase in blood flow toward the neck would produce larger aneurysms in a microsurgical venous pouch model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microsurgical operations were performed on 11 New Zealand white rabbits. Both carotid arteries and the right jugular vein were dissected, and the right carotid artery was temporarily clipped followed by an arteriotomy. The left carotid artery was also clipped proximally, ligated distally, and sutured onto the proximal half of the arteriotomy in the right carotid artery. The venous graft was sutured onto the distal half of the arteriotomy. Digital subtraction angiography was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiography showed patent anastomosed vessels and aneurysms in the seven surviving rabbits. Mean aneurysm measurements among surviving rabbits with patent vessels were: 13.9 mm length, 9.3 mm width, and neck diameter 4.7 mm. The resulting mean aspect ratio was 3.35 and the mean bottleneck ratio was 3.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large venous graft and increased blood flow toward the base of the aneurysm seem to be key factors in the creation of large venous pouch aneurysms. These large aneurysms allow testing of endovascular devices designed for large and giant aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland ak.kraehenbuehl@insel.ch.
authors.forename: Anna K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Krähenbühl
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neuroradiology, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gralla
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abu-Isa
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neuroradiology, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mordasini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedale Civico di Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reinert
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000628:therapy*; D008866:Microsurgery; D011817:Rabbits
keywords: Aneurysm; animal models; carotid aneurysm; cerebrovascular circulation