OBJECTIVE: To develop an experimental model of saccular pseudoaneurysm of the common iliac artery with bovine pericardium in pigs. METHOD: The animals used were two 30-kg female pigs from the Landrace specimen. The animals were submitted to general anesthesia and laparotomy with extraperitoneal access to infrarenal aorta and the iliac arteries. After systemic heparin and clamping, the iliac artery was opened and the pericardium sutured to the vessel wall. All animals were confined for 3 weeks and were sacrificed after performing an arteriography to verify the patency of the aneurysm. RESULT: All animals survived the procedure and the aneurysms were patent. No rupture was detected. CONCLUSION: This is a feasible pig model of iliac artery aneurysm with potential for further studies to develop new endovascular prostheses.
aortic aneurysm; arteries; animal models
