The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 39, 441-444, Copyright © 1985 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
The experimental production of a persistent ductus arteriosus for testing catheter closure devices
I Warnecke and ES Bucherl
An experimental model was constructed to simulate a persistent ductus
arteriosus (PDA) in infants. In 21 beagles (mean weight, 8.2 kg), a piece
of subclavian artery was interposed between the main pulmonary artery and
the aorta, thereby creating a large left-to-right shunt across the short,
straight arterial pathway. There were no intraoperative complications.
Three animals died postoperatively of stenosing tracheitis, pneumothorax,
or bronchopneumonia. The model proved suitable for the serial testing of a
new transvenous catheter closure procedure. Occlusion of the shunt was
mandatory within a day after placement or severe heart failure would occur.
Twelve animals with a released silicone double-balloon plug inside the
vascular connection had a long-term follow-up of up to three years. Autopsy
findings after the death of the animals at specified intervals revealed
smooth ingrowth of the anastomoses and occlusion, by endothelialized
fibrous tissue, of the pulmonary and aortic sides of the plugged
experimental PDA within a month.
