Adult mouse venous hypertension model: common carotid artery to external jugular vein anastomosis

Authors

Shun-Tai Yang, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco.
Ana Rodriguez-Hernandez, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco.
Espen J. Walker, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco.
William L. Young, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco.
Hua Su, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco.
Michael T. Lawton, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco; lawtonm@neurosurg.ucsf.edu.Follow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The understanding of the pathophysiology of brain arteriovenous malformations and arteriovenous fistulas has improved thanks to animal models. A rat model creating an artificial fistula between the common carotid artery (CCA) and the external jugular vein (EJV) has been widely described and proved technically feasible. This construct provokes a consistent cerebral venous hypertension (CVH), and therefore has helped studying the contribution of venous hypertension to formation, clinical symptoms, and prognosis of brain AVMs and dural AVFs. Equivalent mice models have been only scarcely described and have shown trouble with stenosis of the fistula. An established murine model would allow the study of not only pathophysiology but also potential genetic therapies for these cerebrovascular diseases. We present a model of arteriovenous fistula that produces a durable intracranial venous hypertension in the mouse. Microsurgical anastomosis of the murine CCA and EJV can be difficult due to diminutive anatomy and frequently result in a non-patent fistula. In this step-by-step protocol we address all the important challenges encountered during this procedure. Avoiding excessive retraction of the vein during the exposure, using 11-0 sutures instead of 10-0, and making a carefully planned end-to-side anastomosis are some of the critical steps. Although this method requires advanced microsurgical skills and a longer learning curve that the equivalent in the rat, it can be consistently developed. This novel model has been designed to integrate transgenic mouse techniques with a previously well-established experimental system that has proved useful to study brain AVMs and dural AVFs. By opening the possibility of using transgenic mice, a broader spectrum of valid models can be achieved and genetic treatments can also be tested. The experimental construct could also be further adapted to the study of other cerebrovascular diseases related with venous hypertension such as migraine, transient global amnesia, transient monocular blindness, etc.

Medical Subject Headings

Anastomosis, Surgical (methods); Animals; Brain (blood supply); Carotid Artery, Common (surgery); Disease Models, Animal; Intracranial Hypertension (etiology); Jugular Veins (surgery); Mice; Mice, Transgenic

Publication Date

2-5-2015

Publication Title

Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE

E-ISSN

1940-087X

Issue

95

First Page

50472

PubMed ID

25650793

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3791/50472

Recommended Citation

Yang, Shun-Tai; Rodriguez-Hernandez, Ana; Walker, Espen J.; Young, William L.; Su, Hua; and Lawton, Michael T., "Adult mouse venous hypertension model: common carotid artery to external jugular vein anastomosis" (2015). Neurosurgery. 1107.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurosurgery/1107