Yasmine N. White, Matthew Douglass, Jakob Van Boerum, Andrew Rebentisch, Kurt H. Albertine, Mar Janna Dahl
University of Utah.
United States
Journal of Visualized Experiments
J Vis Exp 2026;
DOI: 10.3791/70620
Abstract
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia with pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) is a devastating complication of preterm birth that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Preterm birth disrupts normal lung and vascular development, and postnatal exposures such as mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy can further impair lung and pulmonary vascular growth, contributing to the development of BPD-PH. In the preterm lamb model of evolving BPD, lambs are delivered preterm and mechanically ventilated for up to 21 days, incorporating interrupted lung development along with injury from mechanical ventilation and oxidative stress to recapitulate key features of evolving BPD-PH. The goal of the cardiac catheterization protocol is to directly assess pulmonary hemodynamics in preterm and term neonatal lambs. Lambs are intubated, mechanically ventilated, and sedated throughout the study. At the time of cardiac catheterization, a Swan-Ganz catheter is advanced through the external jugular vein to the superior vena cava and then through the right atrium, right ventricle, and main pulmonary artery. Cather position is confirmed by identification of characteristic pressure waveforms obtained during advancement through the right-sided cardiac chambers. Mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure are measured via pressure transduction, and cardiac output is determined by thermodilution to enable calculation of pulmonary vascular resistance. The protocol provides reproducible measurements of pulmonary hemodynamics that parallel those obtained during clinical cardiac catheterization in human neonates. By enabling direct assessment of pulmonary vascular pressures and resistance, this method enhances the translational utility of the preterm lamb model for mechanistic evaluation of potential therapies for BPD-PH.
Category
Class III. Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Lung Disease
Animal Models of Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Therapy
Diagnostic Testing for Pulmonary Vascular Disease. Invasive Testing
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Fresh (PHresh). Less than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes