Exposing Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta in Porcine Model: A Surgical Procedure to Access Porcine Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta for Further Studies

Using electrocautery, perform a mid-line laparotomy to enter the abdominal cavity, taking care to stay to the right of the penis and its shaft to avoid injury. Tuck one side of a saline-soaked sterile blue towel into the left paracolic gutter, and then, use it to cover the bowel to avoid desiccation, before displacing the abdominal viscera to the pig's left, exposing the retroperitoneum.

While one operator retracts the sigmoid colon and rectum to the left, the other surgeon palpates for the aortic pulse to identify the appropriate site to incise the retroperitoneum. Tend to the retroperitoneum, and use electrocautery to incise and enter the retroperitoneum, facilitating access to the inferior vena cava and infrarenal abdominal aorta.

Circumferentially dissect approximately 3 centimeters of the aorta at the midpoint between the right renal artery and aortic trifurcation to allow for baseline measurement of the aorta, before full dissection causes aortic spasm. Take care to avoid injury to the right ureter. Once a short segment of the aorta has been exposed, use calipers to measure its diameter. After measurement, complete the circumferential dissection of the entire infrarenal aorta.