A Refined Approach to Permanent Coronary Artery Ligation in Rats: Enhancing Outcomes and Reducing Animal Burden.

ABSTRACT: Rodents models of myocardial infarction (MI) continue to be frequently used in preclinical cardiovascular research, despite alternative approaches being on the rise. The commonly used coronary artery permanent ligation (PL) approach is often hampered by substantial perioperative mortality and variable success rates. We optimized the rat PL protocol by relying exclusively on isoflurane inhalation anesthesia by introducing a standardized intubation setup, maintaining strict control of body temperature throughout surgery, and surgical technique refinements. The latter included gentle mobilization of the Pectoralis major and thymus, a medial thoracotomy through the third intercostal space, and the use of a reference ligature to facilitate reliable identification and ligation of the left

SUBMITTER: Heeren E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12784918 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature