Experimental animal models have been used in vascular surgery for decades. The development of new interventional techniques in the endovascular treatment of aneurysms requires the creation of good experimental models to test these devices and study their impact on disease progression. The aim of this article was to review arterial aneurysm models currently available. Several distinct models have been described but none of them satisfies all the requirements of an ideal aneurysm model. Large animal models are appropriate for training, study of alterations in physiological parameters during and after device delivery, and integration of this device in the vessel wall. Significant disadvantages include difficulty in handling, high costs, difficult maintenance, and government regulations, hindering the availability of several animal species. Small animal models, such as rabbits and mice, despite being inexpensive and easily available, are not appropriate for studies of endovascular techniques because of their small-diameter vessels. To date, none of the models described could mimic all features of human aneurysms. In this review, we describe the available models and discuss their advantages and limitations.
Aneurysm; thoracic aorta; animal models; animal experiment