Objective: To establish an animal model for carotid artery stenosis in rabbits.
Methods: Forty New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, for 4-week and 8-week experiment, respectively. All rabbits were fed with a diet with 1.5% cholesterol for one week before the experiment started. The right common carotid arteries (RCCA) of the rabbits were then injured with nitrogen gas (100 mL/min x 5 min), with the left common carotid arteries (LCCA) serving as a control (self control). An additional 5 rabbits were fed with high cholesterol diet only without exposure to nitrogen gas (control group). Angiography and pathology tests were performed to evaluate the stenosis of carotid arteries.
Results: Four weeks after exposure to nitrogen gas, early atheromatosis appeared, with lesions showing fatty streak and fibrous plaque, and thickened focal arterial walls. The lumens showed light-stenosis. The angiography showed 20%-30% artery stenosis. Eight weeks after exposure to nitrogen gas, the lesions proceeded to mature fibrous plaque or atheromatous plaque stages, with entire arterial walls thickened and remarkable lumens stenosis. The angiography showed 60% -80% artery stenosis, and two arteries were totally occluded. No artherosclerosis and stenosis were seen in the self control arteries and control groups.
Conclusion: The animal model for carotid artery stenosis can be effectively established in rabbits with nitrogen gas injury along with high cholesterol-feeding.