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The following protocol is used at Bowman Gray School of Medicine and is
consistent with the Public Health Service guidelines.
1. Room Preparation
A. The surgery table surface should be wiped with a disinfectant
before and after use. A bluepad/drape should cover the table.
B. The use of a heating pad is recommended to prevent hypothermia and
to aid in a quicker, uneventful recovery.
2. Animal Preparations
A. Remove hair from surgical site with clippers or a depilatory.
B. The surgical site should be cleaned with an antiseptic scrub
followed by an antiseptic solution (e.g. chlorhexidine or povidone iodine scrub and solution, respectively).
3. Instrument Sterilization
A. All instruments must be sterilized. The method of choice will be
determined by the surgical instruments or devices being used.
4. Surgeon Preparation
A. The surgeon and all others in the operating room must wear a
surgical face mask prior to initiation of animal prep. The surgeon is required to wear sterile gloves; a cap and sterile gown is also recommended.
B. The surgeon must wear a scrub shirt. Non-surgeon personnel in the
room must wear a lab coat or a gown over their street clothes.
A. Draping material for the rodent includes a 15"x 15"
reinforced paper drape and 3"x 3" gauze sponges.
6. Closure of the Animal
A. Abdominal/thoracic body wall should be closed with absorbable
suture material in a simple interrupted or similar pattern.
B. Skin should be closed with non-absorbable, monofilament suture
material in a simple interrupted or similar interrupted pattern.
C. Sutures must be removed 7 to 10 days after surgery to prevent
inflammation and other postoperative complications.
7. Animal Recovery
A. Recovery should occur in a warmed environment.
B. Animals should be observed closely until they are able to maintain
a sternal position and then every 6-8 hours until fully recovered.
C. Post-operative antibiotics should be given after surgery when
justified by the investigator and the veterinary staff.
8. Multiple Surgical Procedures
A. After the first surgery, the sterilized instruments must be kept in
a sterile tray containing 70-90% ethyl or isopropyl alcohol or other acceptable solution.
B. Sterile gloves must be changed between surgeries.
Post-Surgical Medical Care
During the post-surgical period, a record must
be kept in the room where the animal is housed. It should include a brief description of the surgical procedure, anesthetic used, time of induction, duration of surgical
anesthesia, and time returned to cage. It should also include the findings of each physical examination during the recovery period. The post surgical medical record will
be retained as a part of the animal's permanent medical record. It is best to keep experimental notations in a separate location.
For purposes of medical monitoring, it is
helpful to stage animals according to extent of recovery from surgery and anesthesia. The animal should be examined and the findings recorded according to the following
schedule:
Stage 4 -
Animal unconscious or semiconscious, unable to sit or maintain sternal recumbency.
a. Examine and record findings no less frequently than every 2 hours.
More frequent examination is recommended. Examples of notations include:
- Body temperature
- Heart rate
- Respiratory rate
- Capillary refill time (record in seconds)
- Jaw tone (record resistance or no resistance)
- Response to toe pinch (record withdrawal or no withdrawal)
- Time of extubation
b. Animal should be turned from side to side frequently to prevent
dependent pulmonary congestion & edema.
c. Ambient temperature should be adjusted (heat lamp or warming board)
to bring body temperature to normal. Take care to not burn or over heat animal at this stage of recovery. The animal should be kept dry.
d. The state of hydration should be assessed and fluids should be
provided as necessary.
Stage 3 - Animal conscious and can maintain sternal recumbency
to sit, but can not stand
a. Examine and record findings so less frequently than every 6-10
hours depending on the nature of the surgery and the status of the animal.
Examples of notations include:
- Body temperature until it becomes normal+ 2oF.
- Capillary refill time
- Condition of the operative site
b. Examine closely for other abnormalities
c. Keep the animal dry and adjust the ambient temperature to bring the
body temperature to normal
d. Consider use of analgesic medication
e. Professional judgement should be exercised in those cases in which
there is difficulty in examinations every 6-10 hours. We recommend that one should be cautious in prolonging examinations of animals in stage 3.
Stage 2 - Animal can stand and move about but is not eating and
drinking normally
a. Examine daily and record findings. Examples of notations include:
- Body temperature
- Hydration
- Attitude (alert or depressed)
- Activity (active or inactive)
- Food consumption
- Water consumption
- Condition of operative site
b. Examine closely for other abnormalities
c. Consider use of analgesic medication
Stage 1 - Animal active, alert, eating and drinking normally;
skin sutures are in place
a. Examine daily and keep a post surgical record of surgical site care
until the sutures are removed.
b. Sutures should be removed within 10-14 days of surgery.
Stage 0 - Animal normal and skin sutures removed.
a. Specific post surgical care and record are no longer required.
* Principles of Proper Laboratory Use in Research and Teaching, Wake
Forest Univ., Bowman Gray School of Medicine, 1992
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