Comparing venous wall effects using the empty vein ablation technique with VELEX catheter, endovenous laser ablation and foam sclerotherapy in an animal model.

Objective: To describe residual intima and the average media thickness persisted after the empty vein ablation (EVA) technique, endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), and foam sclerotherapy (FS) in a sheep in vivo model.

Methods: Six iliofemoral and two jugular sheep vein axes were treated as follows: four with EVA (using polidocanol [POL] 0.5% or 1% with 1 or 3 minutes as contact time), two with FS (FS-1 and FS during Valsalva maneuver [FS-Val], POL1% for 10 minutes), and two with EVLA (1470 nm radial, 80 J/cm).

Empty vein ablation (EVA) technique: an in-vivo animal model to assess the effects of sclerosing agent concentration and wall contact time on intima and media tunicae structure.

Background: Sclerotherapy is a cornerstone of the treatment of chronic venous disease, despite some technical aspects (e.g., sclerosant liquid agent concentration [SLAC] and contact time between sclerosant agent and vein wall [ctSA/VW]) to maximize outcomes remain an unsolved problem and a source of debate.

In vivo Lesion Index (LSI) validation in percutaneous radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Introduction: Lesion Index (LSI) has been developed to predict lesion efficacy during radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation. However, its value in predicting lesions size has still to be established. The aim of our study was to assess the lesions size reproducibility for prespecified values of LSI reached during RF delivery in an in vivo beating heart.

The Impact of Nandrolone Decanoate in the Osseointegration of Dental Implants in a Rabbit Model: Histological and Micro-Radiographic Results.

Despite high rates of osseointegration in healthy patients, complex cases present an increased risk of osseointegration failure when treated with dental implants. Furthermore, if immediate loading of the implants is used, maximizing the response of the host organism would be desirable. Anabolic steroids, such as Nandrolone Decanoate (ND), are reported to have beneficial clinical effects on various bone issues such as osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Comparison of the efficacy of five standard topical hemostats: a study in porcine liver and spleen models of surgical bleeding.

Background: Several topical hemostats are available to help control surgical bleeding. Cutanplast is a highly absorbent and porous gelatin product that is available in Fast sponge and powder forms. This study investigated the hemostatic efficacy of Cutanplast Standard and Fast gelatin sponge and powder and Emosist oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) gauze in porcine liver and spleen surgical bleeding models.

Osseointegration of Titanium Implants With Different Rough Surfaces: A Histologic and Histomorphometric Study in an Adult Minipig Model.

Background: Many chemical and physical modifications of titanium surfaces were introduced, aiming at improving surface bioactivity, but few comparative evidence exists.

Objective: To evaluate histologically in minipigs the osseointegration of implants made of commercially pure (CP) titanium or titanium alloy, treated by different roughening procedures.

Material And Methods: Three sandblasted acid-etched (SA) surfaces, 2 anodized (AN), and 1 double acid-etched (DAE) were compared.

Percutaneous repair of the tricuspid valve using a novel cinching device: acute and chronic experience in a preclinical large animal model.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, technical feasibility and performance of a new trans-catheter tricuspid repair system.

Methods And Results: Thirty-one adult swine underwent implantation of a transcatheter tricuspid remodelling system under general anaesthesia. The steerable transcatheter device was introduced through a 24 Fr femoral sheath into the right femoral vein and delivered to the tricuspid annulus on the beating heart.

Transcatheter direct mitral annuloplasty with Cardioband: feasibility and efficacy trial in an acute preclinical model.

Aims: The aim of the study was to report preclinical safety and feasibility of a new transcatheter direct mitral annuloplasty intervention in an acute animal model.

Methods And Results: Twenty healthy pigs underwent Cardioband (Valtech Cardio, Or Yehuda, Israel) transcatheter implantation under intracardiac echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance. Through a neo inferior vena cava approach, transseptal access was arranged.

Pre-clinical In Vitro and In Vivo Models for Heart Valve Therapies.

Heart valve disease is a frequently encountered pathology, related to high morbidity and mortality rates. Animal models are interesting to investigate the causality but also underlying mechanisms and potential treatments of human heart valve diseases. Strongly believing that both in vivo and ex vivo models are fundamental to support research and development of new technologies, we here report some examples of heart valve disease models, which in our experience have been actively used to support the development of new valve therapies.

A translational "humanised" porcine model for transcatheter mitral valve interventions: the neo inferior vena cava approach.

Aims: Preclinical studies and translational animal models are fundamental for the development of new clinical interventions. Compared to human anatomy, pigs present a more anterior heart position in the chest which may jeopardise the imaging and testing of devices designed to be delivered to the human mitral valve. To imitate human anatomy, we developed a novel model to "humanise" a pig heart.

XPO1/CRM1-selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE) reduce tumor spreading and improve overall survival in preclinical models of prostate cancer (PCa).

Background: Exportin 1 (XPO1), also called chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1), is the sole exportin mediating transport of many multiple tumor suppressor proteins out of the nucleus.

Aim And Methods: To verify the hypothesis that XPO1 inhibition affects prostate cancer (PCa) metastatic potential, orally available, potent and selective, SINE compounds, Selinexor (KPT- 330) and KPT-251, were tested in preclinical models known to generate bone lesions and systemic tumor spread.

Results: In vitro, Selinexor reduced both secretion of proteases and ability to migrate and invade of PCa cells.

Porcine adipose-derived stem cells from buccal fat pad and subcutaneous adipose tissue for future preclinical studies in oral surgery.

Introduction: Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are progenitor cells used in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Despite subcutaneous adipose tissue being more abundant, the buccal fat pad (BFP) is easily accessible for dentists and maxillofacial surgeons. For this reason, considering the need for preclinical study and the swine as an optimal animal model in tissue engineering applications, we compared the features of porcine ASCs (pASCs) from both tissue-harvesting sites.

Injectable magnesium-enriched hydroxyapatite putty in peri-implant defects: a histomorphometric analysis in pigs.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing of an injectable mixture of nanoparticles of magnesium-enriched hydroxyapatite (mHA) in peri-implant defects.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two dental implants were placed in 16 tibiae of eight female Large White pigs. In each animal, four implant beds (two sites each tibia) with medial three-wall intrabony defects were prepared.

Concomitant off-pump modified maze and coronary surgery.

We describe a modification of the Cox-Maze III using bipolar radiofrequency combined with off-pump coronary artery surgery for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease and long-standing permanent atrial fibrillation. This study reports the midterm outcome of 12 patients with coronary artery disease and long-standing permanent atrial fibrillation who underwent off-pump coronary artery surgery and concomitant modified Maze with bipolar radiofrequency. At a mean follow-up of 23 months, all patients were alive, and 75% (9 of 12) had sinus rhythm.

Effects of a calcium phosphate coating on the osseointegration of endosseous implants in a rabbit model.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate a Ca-P coated implant surface in a rabbit model. The Ca-P surface (test) was compared to the titanium porous oxide surface (control) in terms of bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and removal torque value.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and sixteen dental implants were inserted in the tibia and in the femur of 36 rabbits.

Spine stability after implantation of an interspinous device: an in vitro and finite element biomechanical study.

Object: Interspinous devices are widely used for the treatment of lumbar stenosis. The DIAM spinal stabilization system (Medtronic, Ltd.) is an interspinous implant made of silicone and secured in place with 2 laces.

Time sequence of bone healing around two implant systems in minipigs: preliminary histologic results.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early phases of bone healing around two different implant surfaces. For this purpose, four minipigs were used. Implants with rough titanium surfaces (ITI sandblasted/acid-etched and Branemark TiUnite) were placed in the maxillae of the animals and sacrifice was scheduled in such a way that healing times of 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, and 7 weeks were obtained.

Surface-modified zirconia implants: tissue response in rabbits.

Aim: To evaluate the bone tissue response to zirconia implants with three different surface modifications in comparison with the oxidized titanium surface with the goal to optimize osseointegration in terms of strength and speed.

Materials And Methods: A total of 18 rabbits with 143 implants were used. One hundred and twenty-three were threaded zirconia ceramic implants with three different surface topographies and 20 modified titanium oxide implants were controls.

Transapical endovascular implantation of neochordae using a suction and suture device.

Objective: Neochordae implantation is a standard method for treatment of mitral valve prolapse. We describe a transcatheter technology enabling transapical endovascular chordal implantation.

Methods: Six adult pigs were anesthetized.

Self-closing surgical clips for use in pericallosal artery-pericallosal artery side-to-side bypass.

The authors demonstrate the feasibility of a new procedure to create intracranial interrupted microvascular anastomosis. Self-closing nitinol surgical clips were used for a pericallosal artery-pericallosal artery side-to-side bypass in a 52-year-old man harboring an unruptured large aneurysm located on the right A2 segment. The outflow artery was found to arise from the dome of the aneurysm, which was considered unsuitable for stand-alone clip ligation or coil occlusion.

Antitumor efficacy of trastuzumab in nude mice orthotopically xenografted with human pancreatic tumor cells expressing low levels of HER-2/neu.

The monoclonal antibody trastuzumab binds to the extracellular domain of HER-2/neu and induces clinical responses in breast tumors with HER-2 gene amplification and/or protein overexpression. Its role in other tumor types remains to be investigated. We evaluated the antitumor efficacy of trastuzumab in vitro and in nude mice implanted orthotopically with cells of 3 human pancreatic tumor lines expressing only low levels of HER-2/neu, as determined by flow cytometry.