Anatomical Variations of the Common Carotid Arteries and Neck Structures of the New Zealand White Rabbit and Their Implications for the Development of Preclinical Extracranial Aneurysm Models

Gwendoline Boillat; Tim Franssen; Stefan Wanderer; Jeannine Rey; Daniela Casoni; Lukas Andereggen; Serge Marbacher; Basil E Gruter

doi:10.3390/brainsci13020222

Anatomical Variations of the Common Carotid Arteries and Neck Structures of the New Zealand White Rabbit and Their Implications for the Development of Preclinical Extracranial Aneurysm Models

Brain Sci. 2023 Jan 28;13(2):222. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13020222.

Authors

Gwendoline Boillat^{1

2}, Tim Franssen², Stefan Wanderer^{1

2}, Jeannine Rey^{1

2}, Daniela Casoni³, Lukas Andereggen^{1

2}, Serge Marbacher^{1

2}, Basil E Gruter^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001 Aarau, Switzerland.
² Cerebrovascular Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
³ Experimental Surgery Facility, Department for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
⁴ Institute of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001 Aarau, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Rabbit models involving neck arteries are of growing importance for the development of preclinical aneurysm models. An optimal understanding of the anatomy is primordial to allow the conception of models while minimizing mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to give reliable anatomical landmarks to allow a standardized approach to the neck vessels.

Methods: We performed a necropsy on nine specimens from ongoing experimental studies. We measured the distance between the origins of the right and left common carotid artery (rCCA/lCCA) and between the rCCA and the manubrium sterni (MS). The structures at risk were described.

Results: Female New Zealand White rabbits (NZWR) weighing 3.7 ± 0.3 kg and aged 25 ± 5 weeks were included. The rCCA origin was located 9.6 ± 1.2 mm laterally and 10.1 ± 3.3 mm caudally to the MS. In all specimens, the lCCA originated from the aortic arch, together with the brachiocephalic trunk (BCT), and 6.2 ± 3.1 mm proximally to the rCCA origin. The external and internal jugular veins, trachea and laryngeal nerve were the main structures at risk.

Conclusions: The data help to localize both CCAs and their origin to guide surgical approaches with the manubrium sterni as a main landmark. Special attention has to be paid to the trachea, jugular veins and laryngeal nerves.

Keywords: New Zeeland White Rabbit; anatomy; aneurysm; animal model; carotid arteries.

Grants and funding

This research did not receive specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial or nonprofit sectors. The initial research from which the specimens were taken was funded by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (310030_182450/1).