Abstract: Objective To establish a rabbit model of myocardial infarction (MI) by occluding coronary artery with cardiac catheter technique. Methods After general anesthesia, rabbit's carotid artery was isolated, and 5 F arterial sheath was inserted in carotid artery using Seldinger's method. Guiding catheter was send to the sinus at the root of the aorta through the arterial sheath. The microcatheter was inserted into the middle or distal left of anterior descending (LAD) by using a micro-guide wire. The middle or distal of LAD was occluded by injection of gelatin sponge embolic agent or spring coil through the microcatheter. After 1 month, the rabbit's heart was removed and the MI area was examined by pathology. Results Ninteen of 25 rabbits were successfully transported microcatheter into LAD. 10 rabbits were completed by using the spring coil for MI model, the other 9 rabbits were completed by using the embolic agent. In the spring coil group, 7 of them were successfully produced of MI model, 2 of them died in feeding. In the embolic agent group, 7 of them were successfully produced for MI models, one of them died in feeding. There was no significant difference in MI area and success rate between the two groups. Conclusions The rabbit MI model can be made by minimally invasive cardiac catheter technique with high success rate. It can avoid thoracotomy injury and be more similar with the pathological characteristics of clinical MI.

Key words: Myocardial infarction (MI), Animal model, Rabbit, Minimally invasive, Cardiac catheter technique