Abstract:Objective To explore the method and feasibility of establishing the model of acute mesenteric arterial embolism in rabbits by catheter method. Methods Twenty New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into embolization and control groups with 10 in each group. The rabbits in both groups were inserted with a 6 F arterial sheath through femoral artery. The blood clot was injected through the guiding catheter to the superior mesenteric artery. After 2 hours, the model group was laparotomized to observe the intestine and then stained with Evans blue. The rabbits were sacrificed after staining and the intestine specimens were cut for pathological examination. The control group was only inserted with a 6 F sheath and stained, and the intestine specimens were cut for pathological examination. Results Acute embolism of mesenteric artery model was successfully established in 8of the 10 experimental rabbits, and 7 of the 10 rabbits in the control group were successfully inserted with a sheath.After 2 hours of embolization, the intestine turned into deep red and peristalsis was inhibited or disappeared in the experimental rabbits, but there was no change in the color or peristalsis of the control group. The artery embolization region was not stained with Evans blue, while the whole intestine of the control group turned into blue. Pathological examination showed that in the artery embolization region of the experimental rabbits the mucosal congestion, local bleeding and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed; moreover, the infarction of intestinal mucous membrane was distinct. However, the pathologic changes were not observed in the control group. The changes of creatine phosphokinase (CK) and D-2 dimer of the model group before operation, 1 and 2 h after operation had significant differences (P < 0.05). The level of D-2 at 1 h after operation was significantly higher than that before operation (P < 0.05); and the D-2 dimer level 2 h after operation was significantly lower than that 1 h after operation (P < 0.05), but not statistically different from the preoperative level (P > 0.05). The levels of CK 1 and 2 h after operation were significantly lower than that before operation (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between 1 h and 2 h after operation (P > 0.05). Conclusions The rabbit model of acute mesenteric artery embolism can be established through catheter. This method is technically simple and the success rate is considerable. Then our method can provide a reliable animal model for the basic research and clinical therapy of acute embolism of mesenteric artery.