Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Development Of Non-Invasive In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging Techniques For Elastase-Induced Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Alexa A. Yrineo, Elizabeth A. Nunamaker, Hilary D. Schroeder, Amy E. Bogucki, Craig J. Goergen

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are pathological dilations of the aorta which are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The underlying mechanisms that cause this inflammatory disease are not fully understood and thus, are currently under investigation. In the hopes of preventing disease progression, rodent models that mimic the human condition have been developed to provide insight into the pathogenesis of AAAs. In this study, porcine pancreatic elastase (0.44 U; Sigma-Aldrich) was infused into the infrarenal aortas of male, Sprague Dawley rats to induce aneurysms. To perform the surgery, temporary ligatures were placed around proximal and distal sections of the abdominal …