An Image Guided Transapical Mitral Valve Leaflet Puncture Model of Controlled Volume Overload from Mitral Regurgitation in the Rat

• Authors: Daniella Corporan, Emory University; Takamori Kono, Emory University; Daisuke Onohara, Emory University; Muralidhar Padala, Emory University
• Journal Title: JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
• Volume: Volume 2020, Number 159
• Publisher: JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS | 2020-05-01
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.3791/61029
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Medicine; Issue 159; Mitral regurgitation (MR); volume overload; heart valve; echocardiography; cardiac remodeling; rodents

Abstract

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a widely prevalent heart valve lesion, which causes cardiac remodeling and leads to congestive heart failure. Though the risks of uncorrected MR and its poor prognosis are known, the longitudinal changes in cardiac function, structure and remodeling are incompletely understood. This knowledge gap has limited our understanding of the optimal timing for MR correction, and the benefit that early versus late MR correction may have on the left ventricle. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie left ventricular remodeling in the setting of MR, animal models are necessary. Traditionally, the aorto-caval fistula model has been used to induce volume overload, which differs from clinically relevant lesions such as MR. MR represents a low-pressure volume overload hemodynamic stressor, which requires animal models that mimic this condition. Herein, we describe a rodent model of severe MR in which the anterior leaflet of the rat mitral valve is perforated with a 23G needle, in a beating heart, with echocardiographic image guidance. The severity of MR is assessed and confirmed with echocardiography, and the reproducibility of the model is reported.