Open-chest models of acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion

Abstract

In acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, open chest models allow a) the investigation of cardiac physiology, b) the elucidation of biochemical, functional and morphological changes and c) the evaluation of therapeutic interventions. In chronic studies, open-chest surgery is carried out for instrumentation of animals and as a final step at the end of the study to perform invasive measurements and obtain myocardial tissue. The present overview aims to discuss surgical procedures and steps of open-chest preparations. A selection of techniques to measure parameters of cardiovascular function in open-chest preparations is also discussed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.