Experimental Aortic Regurgitation in Rats under Echocardiographic Guidance
Marie Arsenault MD, Eric Plante BSc, Marie-Claude Drolet BSc, Jacques Couet PhD

Aortic regurgitation (AR) can be reproduced non-invasively in rats and used to study the effects of volume overload on left ventricular function, but high mortality rates make this model unattractive. Echocardiography is the technique of choice to monitor AR in humans, but has not been used in the rat model. AR was induced in 66 rats, using echocardiographic assistance to guide the procedure, grade AR and monitor left ventricular function. All measurements made routinely in humans could be reproduced in animals. With echocardiographic guidance, aortic valve puncture was easily performed, with low procedural mortality (17%). Thus, simple and safe induction of AR in rats under echocardiographic guidance provides an attractive model for the study of left ventricular adaptation to severe AR.