Simple Procedure for Jugular Vein Cannulation of Rats

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Abstract
Jugular vein cannulation of rats is a method widely used in biochemical toxicology studies to allow intravenous administration of toxicants and/or temporal collection of blood samples. Methods typically used for this surgery produce tissue trauma, may partially interrupt the systemic circulation, and require a fair amount of practice by the technician in order to achieve proficiency. The method described here is simple to perform, produces minimal trauma to the rat resulting in rapid recovery, and allows an intact circulation to be maintained. Following limited isolation of the vein by blunt dissection, a 22-gauge catheter is threaded into the bore of an 18-gauge needle, which, in turn, is inserted through the back of the neck and into the surgical field. The needle shaft is removed and the catheter inserted into the exposed jugular vein using another 18-gauge needle that has been longitudinally sectioned to make a trough to carry the catheter. Once the catheter is threaded into the vein, the needle shaft is removed and the vessel sealed with a silicone rubber patch and surgical glue. The insertion site at the back of the neck is similarly sealed and the ventral incision closed with surgical staples. The catheter is coiled and placed beneath a wrap of tape or a Velcro jacket. Patency can be maintained for more than a week using sterile saline flushes and heparin blocks.