ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN SWINE

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (4) , 707-710
Abstract
Clinically normal pigs (12) were anesthetized with fentanyl citrate and sodium pentobarbital and placed in left lateral recumbency. M-mode echograms were recorded from the area of the 4th intercostal space with a 3.5 mmHz transducer. Changes in the internal minor axis diameter (%.DELTA.D) were measured at 44.8 .+-. 3.3 cm. An index of contractility (Vcf) was 1.12 .+-. 0.16 cm/s. The caudal wall thickness dimension measured 0.61 .+-. 0.04 cm and the aortic root dimension was 1.9 .+-. 0.11 cm. Echocardiographic, cineangiographic and postmortem studies were conducted on a 2nd group of 3 pigs to corroborate the findings. Aortic root, diastolic lumenal dimensions and wall thickness were compared and results never differed more than 2 mm. Echograms are conveniently acquired from restrained, mature swine and they provide useful, reliable structural and hemodynamic information, without the hazards or expense of invasive techniques.