A simplified method for endotracheal intubation in the rat Journal Article


Authors: Weksler, B.; Ng, B.; Lenert, J.; Burt, M.
Article Title: A simplified method for endotracheal intubation in the rat
Abstract: Endotracheal intubation in small laboratory animals is often necessary for survival experiments. Methods of airway control have included tracheostomy, blind intubation, and intubation under direct vision. Most of these methods are unsatisfactory and associated with high failure and complication rate. We developed an easy method of endotracheal intubation in the rat that requires simple material that is easily available to any research facility. The animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, the tongue was pulled out, and an otoscope was introduced into the oropharynx. By direct vision, a guide wire was inserted into the trachea and a 16-gauge intravenous catheter was glided over the wire. The first group of 70 rats underwent left thoracotomy with endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation at our laboratory as part of a study on isolated lung perfusion. The second group of five rats was anesthetized with pentobarbital, and a left carotid catheter and an endotracheal tube were inserted. Animals were ventilated with 100% O2. Arterial blood gases were sampled before intubation, 30 min after ventilation, and 60 min after extubation. In the first group, 94.3% (66 of 70) of the animals survived surgery and mortality was not directly related to the intubation and/or ventilation. All five animals of the second group survived the procedure to be extubated. Arterial PO2 before intubation, 30 min after intubation and ventilation, and 60 min after extubation was 77.1 ± 8.5, 465.0 ± 55.6, and 98.9 ± 12.8 Torr, respectively. PCO2 at the same time points was 42.5 ± 10.1, 35.1 ± 6.3, and 32.7 ± 6.5 Torr, respectively. This is an easy, fast, and safe method for endotracheal intubation that will be useful to investigators in the cardiopulmonary physiology field.
Keywords: survival; controlled study; nonhuman; thoracotomy; animal experiment; rat; technique; artificial ventilation; guide wire; blood gas analysis; endotracheal intubation; intravenous catheter; arterial carbon dioxide tension; arterial oxygen tension; extubation; male; priority journal; article; arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure; arterial oxygen partial pressure
Journal Title: Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume: 76
Issue: 4
ISSN: 8750-7587
Publisher: American Physiological Society  
Date Published: 1994-04-01
Start Page: 1823
End Page: 1825
Language: English
DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1994.76.4.1823
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 8045865
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 14 January 2019 -- Article -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Michael E. Burt
    187 Burt
  2. Bruce Ng
    23 Ng
  3. Benny Weksler
    13 Weksler