Heterotopic Cervical Heart Transplantation in Mice.
The heterotopic cervical heart transplantation in mice is a valuable tool in transplant and cardiovascular research. The cuff technique greatly simplifies this model by avoiding challenging suture anastomoses of small vessels thereby reducing warm ischemia time. In comparison to abdominal graft implantation the cervical model is less invasive and the implanted graft is easily accessible for further follow-up examinations. Anastomoses are performed by pulling the ascending aorta of the graft over the cuff with the recipient's common carotid artery and by pulling the main pulmonary artery over the cuff with the external jugular vein. Selection of appropriate cuff size and complete mobilization of the vessels are important for successful revascularization. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury can be minimized by perfusing the graft with a cardioplegic solution and by hypothermia. In this article, we provide technical details for a simplified and improved cuff technique, which should allow surgeons with basic microsurgical skills to perform the procedure with a high success rate.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München; Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, General Hospital Linz; Thomas.Ratschiller@gmx.at.
Thomas
T
Ratschiller
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München.
Marcus-André
MA
Deutsch
Institute of Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich.
Julia
J
Calzada-Wack
Institute of Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich.
Frauke
F
Neff
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München.
Christiane
C
Roesch
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München.
Ralf
R
Guenzinger
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München.
Ruediger
R
Lange
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Experimental Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München.
Markus
M
Krane
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000601:surgery; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013537:Sutures; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic