Vulnerable Plaque in a Swine Model of Carotid Atherosclerosis

Distal embolism and acute thrombosis due to rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque are the common mechanisms of stroke in patients with carotid disease. The purpose of this study was to develop the first animal model of vulnerable carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Carotid atherosclerotic model...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR 2009-03, Vol.30 (3), p.469-472
Main Authors: Shi, Z.-S, Feng, L, He, X, Ishii, A, Goldstine, J, Vinters, H.V, Vinuela, F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Carotid Arteries - pathology
Carotid Artery Diseases - complications
Carotid Artery Diseases - pathology
Carotid Stenosis - etiology
Carotid Stenosis - pathology
Disease Models, Animal
Interventional
Intracranial Embolism - etiology
Intracranial Embolism - pathology
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
Male
Medical sciences
Nervous system
Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry
Rupture
Stroke - etiology
Stroke - pathology
Swine
Swine, Miniature
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Summary:Distal embolism and acute thrombosis due to rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque are the common mechanisms of stroke in patients with carotid disease. The purpose of this study was to develop the first animal model of vulnerable carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Carotid atherosclerotic models were created in 12 Yucatan minipigs by using a combination of partial ligation and high cholesterol diet. Retia mirabilia from these animals were examined histopathologically to identify distal embolism. The association of distal embolism with advanced atherosclerosis and a thin fibrous cap was analyzed by using the Fisher exact test. Typical features of vulnerable plaques, including a thin fibrous cap, necrotic core, and intraplaque hemorrhage, were observed in this swine model of carotid atherosclerosis. Distal embolism was detected in retia mirabilia supplied by 7 of 10 carotid arteries with advanced atherosclerotic plaques, compared with 3 of 14 carotid arteries without advanced plaque (P < .05). This swine model of carotid atherosclerosis contains the salient features of vulnerable plaques, including plaque rupture and distal embolism.
ISSN:0195-6108
1936-959X
DOI:10.3174/ajnr.A1410