A Minimally Invasive Double Live-Knot Technique for Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Modeling in Rats

The myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) model is of great significance in exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms of myocardial infarction and facilitating the development of relevant drugs. However, among the commonly used modeling methods, the traditional polyethylene-tube-assisted coronary artery ligation method has significant drawbacks. It requires reopening the chest to untie the ligature, which is not only time-consuming but also causes substantial damage to the experimental animals and can easily lead to their death. The aim of this study is to introduce an improved model-preparation method. In this method, the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery (LAD) is ligated using a double live-knot coil, and the live-knot can be opened in vitro to achieve reperfusion, thus avoiding a second invasive procedure. Evaluation methods such as electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, M-mode echocardiography (ME) determination, Evans Blue and 2,3,5-triphenyte-trazoliumchloride staining (EB-TTC) showed that this method could induce stable MI/RI. This improved MI/RI model scheme is characterized by its simplicity and speed, and the modeling success rate is highly satisfactory. Overall, it offers practical and valuable guidance for researchers engaged in the field of MI/RI research.