http://vetbiotech.com/blog 2008 Veterinary Bioscience Institute. All rights reserved. Veterinary Bioscience Institute RSS feed ..... en-us Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:25:11 Thu, 27 Apr 2006 info@labvets.com webmaster@labvets.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=123 Mouse and rat transgenic technology has lead to the development of complex surgical rodent models. These models are so complicated that often scientist concentrate on that particular surgical procedure while forgetting about the patient. This can lead to undesirable side effects, leading to the introduction of unnecessary variables which makes interpreting the experimental data challenging. Organization Organization is imperative when planning rodent surgery, since often several surgical procedures are performed within the same day. A check list should be developed which includes all of the materials required per animal for each individual procedure. These lists have been introduced in human surgical suites and reduced surgical mistakes by as much as 30%. Anesthesia and surgical stress Placing a rodent under anesthesia has significant effects on their physiological status, and these effects are compounded by the stress of a surgical procedure. In the last blog, the physiological stresses that were addressed were pain and distress. In this blog we will address the stresses of hypothermia, hypovolemia, and dehydration. Rodent physical exam First, before any anesthetic procedure, a mouse or rat should be observed within its environment, and then a thorough physical exam should be performed. This provides a baseline for the assessment after surgery. Obtaining the weight of the mouse or rat must be part of this exam. This will allow for the provision of appropriate drug and fluid doses and allow the scientist to monitor post-surgical weight. Weight loss can indicate pain, dehydration, or the presence of a postoperative infection. Rodent corneal desiccation A petroleum based ocular ointment should be used to prevent desiccation of the cornea. Antibiotic ocular ointment should not serve as a replacement for petroleum ocular ointment. Rodents’ eyes should especially be monitored when a face mask is used since it can exacerbate eye desiccation and irritation due to the air flow and irritating gas anesthetic. Rodent Hypothermia Rodents can become hypothermic rapidly after anesthesia induction if appropriate heat support is not provided. This is because of the rodents’ high ratio of surface area to size, high metabolic rate and high oxygen flow rate. All of these factors result in an accelerated rate of cooling in mice and rats. Addressing hypothermia in rodents has been challenging in the past. However, with the development of rodent specific instrumentation this can be accomplished more easily with more consistent results. One of our favorites is a surgical homeothermic table. This table measures rodent’s temperature rectally and provides feedback to the heating unit which then automatically adjusts the temperature in order to keep the animal at a homeothermic temperature. These units are well worth the investment especially when performing prolonged surgical procedures such as mouse or rat laparoscopies. Rodent dehydration Mice and rats should receive a subcutaneous bolus of Lactated Ringers Solution prior to surgery. This solution should be warm since injecting cold or room temperature solutions will immediately make the rodent hypothermic. Mice and rats should also receive subcutaneous fluids during prolonged surgical procedures as well as post surgically, since in most cases rodents will not return to normal drinking patterns quickly post surgically. Rodent Hypovolemia Hemostasis is important in all surgical procedures. In mice and rats it is especially important because a loss of a ‘few drops’ can lead to severe hypovolemia and result in mortality. Hemorrhage can be controlled with electrocautery, pressure (gauze or instruments) and suture ties. When utilizing electorcautery it is important not to induce thermal damage to the tissue, and when utilizing gauze, pressure should be applied without dragging the gauze on the tissue which can lead to the dislodgment of formed clots. Paying attention to the animal and being organized while performing rodent surgery will lead to an increase in the surgical success rate, improve animal welfare and improve experimental data. Rodent Surgery admin Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:08:52 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=123 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=122 The proper care of rodent surgical instruments enables successful surgeries and saves money. However, this topic commonly receives little attention during rodent surgical workshops. A surgeon depends on their instruments to perform specific functions during surgical procedures. Instrument can prolong the surgical procedure and / or increase the risk of surgical complications. For example, if the metzenbaum scissors are dull, the surgeon might have to make several attempts to incise tissue, thereby increasing injury to the tissues. This also prolongs the surgical and anesthetic time. This can be prevented by appropriate care of the instruments. First, surgical instruments should be cleaned immediately after surgery. Even though the majority of the instruments are made of stainless steel they will still stain. Instrument staining can lead to rusting, which will require the replacement of instruments, adding unnecessary costs. Cleaning procedures should include rinsing the instrument, removing debris and then they should be washed. The washing process should use neutral pH cleaning solutions. Solutions such as dish soap, Chlorohexidine, surgical scrub or any solution with high chlorine content breaks down stainless steel and will lead to spotting and corrosion. This wasing process should be followed by ultrasonic cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaning cleans the parts that are difficult to reach, like the hinges where debris can hide and evade manual cleaning. Studies have shown that ultrasonic cleaning cleans 16 times better than manual washing. Instruments should then be rinsed and dried. It is imperative that surgical instruments are completely dried to prevent rusting. Drying should be performed with a towel. This prevents spotting and rusting which can occur when instruments are left to air-dry. The last step involves lubricating the instruments, especially the instruments with hinges. This lubrication must be performed with special surgical instrument lubricant. In conclusion, good care of rodent surgical instruments, leads to excellent instrument performance, increased instrument life and avoids unnecessary repair costs, and extends the life of rodent surgical instruments. Rodent Surgery admin Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:40:38 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=122 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=121 Recently, we brought up magnification as an aspect of rodent surgery which is commonly taken for granted. Illumination/lighting is just as important. Many rodent surgeons who perform procedures such as jugular or carotid catheterizations perform them without the assistance of illumination. When a light source is utilized, it is commonly an incandescent light such as a desk lamp. When performing rodent surgery it is imperative to ensure a brightly lit operative field. This improves the visibility for the surgeon, which is especially important during rodent microsurgery when appropriate illumination decreases eye strain. Eye strain can lead to fatigue and poor surgical outcomes, particularly when multiple surgeries are carried out within the same day. It has been demonstrated that surgical time for vascular anastomoses is shorter when a bright operative field is used in comparison to a poorly lit operative field. When a light source is utilized, it is important to consider factors such as the type of light source, the intensity, duration, distance of projection and focusing ability. Initially the standard light source for surgery was an incandescent light source. The halogen light bulb was then introduced followed more recently by the xenon. The challenge with an incandescent light source is that although it emits tremendous amount of light, the light accounts for a small percent of their energy output. The rest of the energy is emitted as heat. The heat can desiccate and cause thermal damage to tissues. The halogen and xenon lights, when combined with fiber optic cables, produce less heat and are considered a cold light source. However, these fiber optic cables only reduce the amount of infrared radiation, which is usually associated with heat production, with respect to visible light. This heat reduction is accomplished with special filters or reflectors. Radiation in the visible and infrared wavelengths enters the fiber optic cable and is transmitted through the cable. When the light leaves the end of the light source, the level of infrared radiation is usually reduced to a safe level through absorption by the optical fibers and through substantial losses at the cable connections. The advantage of a xenon light source is that it produces a bright and clear operating field. However it has been reported that a xenon light at 300 watts at working distances as great as 20 cm with prolonged exposure can lead to thermal tissue damage. Thermal damage and tissue desiccation can be prevented by keeping tissue moist. The halogen light source which is not as bright as xenon is preferred for ophthalmologic surgeries since the brightness of the xenon lights can be phototoxic. It is our assertion that illumination during rodent surgery enhances visual acuity which should be regarded as an asset during any rodent surgical procedure. Rodent Surgery admin Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:43:09 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=121 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=120 Rodent surgery has been commonly performed in biomedical research and its frequency has been growing steadily since the development of the transgenic mouse. Now rodent surgery continues to grow with the development of transgenic rat models. Mouse and rat surgical procedures range from relatively simple subcutaneous osmotic pump implantations to much more complicated techniques like heart transplants. Successful rodent surgical techniques require good visualization of the surgical field. The routine use of magnification while performing rodent surgery is growing, but there is little consensus regarding its implementation and use. The ability to perceive fine detail is relevant in all aspects of rodent surgery and plays an integral part in the outcome of the surgery. Traditionally, the use of magnification has been viewed as an aid to failing vision for older or visually impaired rodent surgeons, but the benefits may be more far-reaching and significant. A potential benefit of magnification to rodent surgeons is ergonomical by promoting good posture and thereby reducing musculoskeletal stress. Extended poor posture increases the risk of debilitating injury. This is especially important when a rodent surgeon is required to perform multiple rodent surgeries per day. Unfortunately, there is no well-designed, peer-reviewed, scientific studies which have addressed the benefits of magnification to the rodent surgeon and to the betterment of rodent surgical techniques. Despite the lack of scientific evidence proving the benefits of magnification use, its use within the rodent surgical field appears to be growing. This is most likely due to anecdotal reports of success passed throughout the community at training workshops and at scientific meetings. Most rodent surgeons who utilize magnification for their procedures would think it inadequate to perform surgery without the aid of magnification. The difficulty lies in convincing other rodent surgeons that their surgical outcomes could be improved with the aid of magnification. This technological advancement must be cost effective and have a reasonable learning curve in order for it to become widely accepted. Today, rodent surgeons have many cost effective options when it comes to magnification and its use in rodent surgical training. Surgeons can select from various types of surgical microscopes including stand alone (http://www.meditec.zeiss.com/us), mounted or table top surgical microscopes (www.imillermicroscopes.com ). Magnification loupes are also available and at a significantly lower cost than the microscopes. (www.roboz.com/magnifying_surgical_loupes.asp). Training by experienced rodent surgeons will significantly reduce the learning curve. Rodent surgical workshops are offered during various conferences such as the Academy of Surgical Research and the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science annual meetings. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute offers mobile on site surgical training as well as on-line surgical rodent courses and webinars. Additional scientific studies are needed to address if it possible for an experienced rodent surgeon to perform at a higher level with the aid of magnification. Other topics of considerable interest would be if a novice rodent surgeon can develop competence at a faster rate with enhanced vision. Conversely, it should also be investigated if there are any undesirable side effects to the rodent or the rodent surgeon with routine use of magnification. It is our contention that enhanced visual acuity should be regarded as an asset during any rodent surgical procedure. Rodent Surgery admin Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:17:28 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=120 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=114 Rats have always played a significant role as an animal model in obesity and diabetes studies. Recently, a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass rat surgery model has been developed as an obesity treatment model. However, studies have demonstrated that the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgical procedure not only leads to significant weight loss but it also leads to complete remission of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in 84% of patients. More interestingly, studies have demonstrated that the Type 2 Diabetes resolution occurs before the weight loss, suggesting that insulin sensitivity improves by a process that is independent of weight-loss. However the mechanism behind this remission is not well understood and the rat Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery model is being utilized to help understand this mechanism. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is a complicated surgery, and various techniques have been described. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute has undertaken the task of reviewing available literature and refining this surgical technique as well as improving pre-, peri- and post-operative care. This information is now being presented as part of the Advanced Principles of Gastrointestinal Surgery workshop taught by the Veterinary Bioscience Institute. This workshop emphasizes hands-on learning of gastroduodenal and gastrojejunal anastomosis, and gastric bypass. Gastrointestinal anatomy, gastrointestinal tissue handling, appropriate surgical instrumentation, suturing techniques and pre- and post-surgical animal care are reviewed. Attendees perform gastric bypass and duodenal switch in the adult laboratory rat. VBI Publications admin Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:16:42 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=114 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=113 Minimally invasive surgery had been introduced into the pediatric surgical field during the early 1990’s and it is becoming a more integral part of the surgical care available for infants and children. The progress in this field has lead to the miniaturization of laparoscopic equipment which is an advantage to the biomedical, laboratory animal science and veterinary fields because this miniaturized equipment allows for refinement of existing surgical procedures and the development of novel mouse and rat laparoscopic procedures. Recently published Atlas of Pediatric Laparoscopy and Thoracoscopy describes a full range of infant laparoscopy and thoracoscopy techniques of which many, specifically diagnostic procedures, can be translated to rodents. This textbook is not only a very useful reference tool for learning techniques but also for pediatric laparoscopic instrumentation. VBI Publications admin Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:22:57 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=113 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=107 New publication by the Veterinary Bioscience Institute in the 2009 September issue of the Lab Animal Nature Journal, entitled Development of electronic learning courses for surgical training of animal research personnel, authored by the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s veterinarian, Dr. Baran in collaboration with Dr. Kehler (University of Pennsylvania) and Dr. Johnson (Harleysville Veterinary Hospital) provides step by step instructions how to develop an online course, specifically a rat and mouse surgical training course. Please find below abstract of the article. The animal research community comprises members from a wide variety of backgrounds, some of whom must learn basic surgical skills. Though demand for animal research personnel who have surgical skills is increasing, surgical training opportunities are becoming more scarce. Electronic learning or e-learning platforms can be used as an adjunct to hands-on surgical training. Course developers can adapt these e-learning courses to fit the needs of participants who have varying levels of expertise. The authors outline the steps involved in developing an effective e-learning surgical course. They also describe how to use various equipment and software products to help implement e-learning courses. Though the authors focus on developing surgical courses, course developers could apply the general steps outlined by the authors when developing any e-learning course. Read more… VBI Publications admin Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:48:52 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=107 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=133 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is incredibly excited to learn that our article, “Fundamentals of Pain Assessment in Rodents”, which was written in collaboration with Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS from University of Texas at San Antonio and Elizabeth Johnson, VMD from Putney, Inc has achieved the coveted “most read” status for the third straight month in a row. This is validation for VBI that the topics for which they provide training and continuing education courses is indeed something that is “top of mind” for scientists and members of the laboratory animal community. VBI will continue to provide the most up-to-date, far reaching, topical information to the biomedical community in pursuit of elevating the standards of laboratory animal research. VBI News admin Wed, 05 May 2010 20:11:30 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=133 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=132 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI), in collaboration with ALN magazine, announced this week that due to high demand, they will be adding a second webinar entitled Vascular Catheterization in Rodents. This webinar is hosted by Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS from the University of Texas and Szczepan Baran, VMD, MS from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute. Again, this demonstrates that topics presented by the Veterinary Bioscience Institute are timely and fulfill a need within the biomedical community. These webinars, which are part of the Rodent Surgery webinar series, enable VBI to reach a globally dispersed biomedical audience, provided they have a high speed internet connection. This is important in today’s challenging economic times since institutions often do not have the funds to send personnel to training sessions outside their facilities. Another advantage is that personnel do not have to travel away from their facility. So there is no additional travel time outside the office. VBI also provides access to the webinar content through their proprietary Learning Management System or the on-demand webinar platform. This allows participants to review the content after they have had time to digest the information provided during the webinar. This webinar has been especially popular because vascular catheterization of rodents is a procedure widely used in various areas of biomedical research, especially toxicology which allows repeated or constant intravenous administration of compounds and the collection of multiple blood and lymph fluid samples. It is also useful for the measurements of blood pressure. VBI News admin Mon, 03 May 2010 11:55:58 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=132 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=130 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) in collaboration with the ALN magazine is proud to announce that they have an incredibly exciting webinar coming up that should excite the entire rodent-utilizing, biomedical community. This latest webinar is entitled Vascular Catheterization in Rodents, and it is hosted by Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS from the University of Texas and Szczepan Baran, VMD, MS from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute. Vascular catheterization of rodents is a procedure widely used in various areas of biomedical research, especially toxicology to allow repeated or constant intravenous administration of compounds and/or collection of multiple blood and lymph fluid samples. It is also useful for the measurements of blood pressure. This webinar is designed for beginners and is intended as an introduction to rodent catheterization. It will include a review of gross anatomy, catheterization materials and basic catheterization principles and techniques. During this webinar, participants will have the opportunity to observe mouse and rat jugular vein and carotid artery catheterization, including the proper selection, usage and handling of applicable surgical instruments and equipment. By the end of this webinar participants will be better able to plan and perform research experiments with their own rodent models using these catheterization techniques. Please visit www.vetbiotech.com to register! VBI News admin Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:43:12 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=130 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=129 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is very proud to announce that another one of their articles, “Aseptic Technique in Rodent Surgery: Why Should I Pay Attention?”, developed in collaboration with Vince Mendenhall, DVM, PhD from The Preclinical Surgical Services, Piedmont Triad Research Park, Winston-Salem and Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS from The Laboratory Animal Resources Center, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, was accepted for publication by the ALN® magazine in their April 2010 issue. This is continuing validation that members of the laboratory animal and biomedical community are accepting of progressive techniques for which VBI has been a staunch proponent. VBI News admin Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:31:43 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=129 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=128 VBI will present a session about Rodent Laparoscopy during the Spring 2010, British Laboratory Animal Science Association (LASA) and Laboratory Animals Veterinary Association (LAVA) joint meeting. Rodent laparoscopy and colonoscopy provide a refinement of current methods used for monitoring intra-abdominal and gastrointestinal disease progression in rodents. Laparoscopy, which is considered the gold standard for many human abdominal procedures results in decreased pain and tissue trauma as well as quicker post surgical recovery, and preserves immune function in comparison to the same procedures performed by laparotomy. Rodent laparoscopy supports the three Rs; refinement, reduction and replacement of animal models, which upholds the tenet of VBI – improving animal wellbeing while improving the standards of research. VBI’s presence at this meeting is very important to the realization of their goal to harmonize education and training for the laboratory animal community throughout the globe. VBI News admin Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:17:08 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=128 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=127 This month, Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) will be an exhibitor at ALN ® magazine’s TURNKEY conference. This conference focuses on the latest technologies for facility construction, renovation, operation and equipment. VBI’s presence is especially important, as rodent appropriate laparoscopic and colonoscopic equipment are certainly on the cutting edge, and this is one area in which VBI specializes. In addition, VBI has state of the art continuing education courses on proprietary platforms, whose technologies are a fundamental part of implementing the proper use of new equipment acquired in a new or newly renovated laboratory. In other words, what good is new equipment if no one knows how to use it? VBI is a natural fit for the ALN ® magazine’s TURNKEY conference, and VBI hopes to see you there! VBI News admin Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:55:37 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=127 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=126 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is proud to announce their participation in the 2010 AALAS Texas Branch Annual Meeting. VBI collaborated on a workshop with Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS, from the University of Texas. The subject of the workshop, “Principles of Suturing” was so popular, that there were two identical sessions conducted to accommodate the overwhelming demand. During this workshop, participants learned the anatomy of the skin and principles of healing. Participants also learned basic principles or had the opportunity to advance their skills with needle and suture selection, knot tying, suture pattern techniques, skin stapling, and the application of adhesives. In addition, proper instrument selection, usage and handling were demonstrated. Techniques taught at this workshop can be applied to rodents as well as multiple other species. VBI News admin Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:43:56 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=126 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=125 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is incredibly excited to announce that our article, “Fundamentals of Pain Assessment in Rodents”, which was written in collaboration with Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS from University of Texas at San Antonio and Elizabeth Johnson, VMD from Putney, Inc has achieved the coveted “most read” status for the months of March and April on ALN® magazine’s website. This is validation for VBI that the topics for which they provide training and continuing education courses is indeed something that is “top of mind” for scientists and members of the laboratory animal community. VBI will continue to provide the most up-to-date, far reaching, topical information to the biomedical community in pursuit of elevating the standards of laboratory animal research. VBI News admin Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:54:48 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=125 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=124 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is proud to announce that we will be giving a presentation on rodent laparoscopic and rodent colonoscopic techniques at the next Delaware Valley branch meeting of AALAS. This meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14th at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. The rodent laparoscopic and colonoscopic lecture will consist of a didactic portion, followed by demonstration of rodent appropriate laparoscopic and colonoscopic equipment and techniques. Rodent laparoscopy and colonoscopy provide a refinement of current methods used for monitoring intra-abdominal and gastrointestinal disease progression in rodents. Laparoscopy, which is considered the gold standard for many human abdominal procedures, results in decreased pain and tissue trauma quicker post surgical recovery, and preserves immune function when compared to the same procedures performed by laparotomy. Laparoscopy and colonoscopy improve rodent welfare and decreases inter-animal variability. During this session, rodent laparotomy and laparoscopic surgical methods will be compared, and the utilization of laparoscopy for the development of cancer models and assessment of disease progression to improve data collection and animal welfare will be described. In addition, currently available rodent laparoscopic equipment and instrumentation will be presented. VBI News admin Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:18:24 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=124 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=110 Today the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) added two new course to its mobile onsite course repertoire; Basic Principles of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Advanced Principles of Gastrointestinal Surgery. These courses have been developed for clients performing obesity and diabetes research and now are utilized in the area of gastrointestinal oncology, and pancreatic and biliary disease. Often large animals have been utilized as animal models for these studies however with the proper instrumentation and proper rat and mouse anesthesia and monitoring these surgeries are feasible in rodents. Development and optimization of these surgical techniques in mice and rats is a continuation of the Surgical Technique Refinement Initiative whose main goal is to advance the three R’s (Refinement, Reduction and Replacement). Basic principles of gastrointestinal surgery This course emphasizes the hands-on learning of various surgical intestinal anastomosis techniques including side-to-side, end-to-end and side-to-end anastomosis. Gatrointestinal anatomy, gastrointestinal tissue handling, appropriate surgical instrumentation and suturing techniques will be reviewed. Jejunal-jejunal and duodenal-jejunal anastomosis will be demonstrated (additional anastomosis techniques can be included upon request). Attendees will perform Jejunal-jejunal and duodenal-jejunal anastomosis in the adult laboratory rat or/and mouse. Live surgical demonstration and discussions will review rodent intestinal surgical techniques. Emphasis will be on learning practical skills and methods from experienced instructor(s). Advanced principles of gastrointestinal surgery This course emphasizes hands-on learning of gatstroduodenal and gastrojejunal anastomosis, and gastric bypass (additional techniques can be included upon request). Gatrointestinal anatomy, gastrointestinal tissue handling, appropriate surgical instrumentation and suturing techniques and pre- and post-surgical animal care will be reviewed. Attendees will perform gastric bypass and duodenal switch in the adult laboratory rat or/and mouse. Live surgical demonstration and discussions will review surgical techniques. Emphasis will be on learning practical skills and methods from experienced instructor(s). VBI News admin Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:27:45 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=110 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=109 Today the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) added a new course to its mobile onsite course repertoire; Basic Principles of Rodent Laparoscopy. This course enhance VBI’s already impressive library of materials and resources currently provided to the Biomedical Community. The addition of “Basic Principles of Rodent Laparoscopy” underscores VBI’s ongoing commitment to advancing the three R’s (Refinement, Reduction and Replacement), by refining already existing surgical procedures and converting laparotomic procedures into laparoscopic procedures and then sharing this technology with the Biomedical Community. .Rat and mouse laparoscopy was inspired by the notion that laparoscopic procedures offer several advantages over laparotomies (open abdominal procedures). Laparoscopy results in less pain, faster recovery, earlier return of normal intestinal transit and gastric emptying, and rapid return to regular activities. Laparoscopic procedures are being utilized on rodent models in biomedical research to investigate the processes of inflammation, neoplastic transformation, and to test novel treatments and develop novel cancer models. Newly developed rodent laparoscopy procedures allow for the examination of the rodent abdominal cavity and organs within it, and permit serial biopsy collections without sacrificing the animal. Laparoscopic procedures have been used in research projects but often procedural descriptions are omitted. VBI believes that knowledge and education about this topic will lead to advancement of the 3R’s and consequently animal welfare. Basic Principles of Rodent Laparoscopy is designed for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and research staff without experience in rodent laparoscopy. This course is intended as an introduction to rodent laparoscopy and will include a review of basic laparoscopic principles, gross anatomy of the rodent abdominal cavity and commonly performed rodent laparoscopic procedures. During this course, participants will have the opportunity to advance their skills with rodent laparoscopy including the proper selection, usage and handling of rodent appropriate laparoscopic instruments and equipment. By the end of this course participants should be better able to plan for and perform research experiments with their own rodent models using this viable surgical technique. VBI News admin Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:36:09 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=109 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=108 This year’s program includes new and review information on environmental issues. The program gives an overview of environmental contaminants in food, bedding, and water, management methods, technologies, products, and motivational tools we can use to have a positive impact on our own environment and on the environments of the research animals under our care. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute will be represented by Dr. Szczepan Baran who has the pleasure of presenting the following lectures during this Seminar: Rodent (Rat and Mouse) Laparoscopic Biotechnology for Research Laparoscopic surgery has revolutionized surgical technique by creating less post-operative pain, quicker recovery time, and less invasive procedures. Utilization of laparoscopic surgery in mice and rats promotes both animal welfare and scientific progress through the reduction, refinement, and replacement of larger animal models. This presentation will describe and compare available equipment and the use of multiple and single port laparoscopic techniques for abdominal organ biopsies. Suggestions for needed improvements of available instruments and current rat and mouse laparoscopic techniques will also be discussed. Online Rodent (Rat and Mouse) Surgical Training Recent advances in microsurgical equipment and rodent (mouse and rat) technologies have increased the demand for rodent surgeons. Commonly, knowledge of rodent surgical procedures is self-taught or passed from one investigator to another. This teaching methodology introduces variables and can hamper efficient use of animals. The goal of this surgical E-learning project was to develop web-based interactive learning for rodent (mouse and rat) surgical techniques to increase the quality of results and reduce the number of live animals used in research. We hope to see you there. Conference Venue: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor, Washington, DC Dates: September 2, 3, 2009 Conference Program: Link1 Conference Registration: Link2 VBI News admin Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:05:42 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=108 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=102 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is proud to announce its second peer reviewed publication on the topic of E-learning within the Laboratory Animal Science field. First publication, entitle Addressing Surgical Training Challenges in Laboratory Anima Science and Biomedical Fields through the use of Electronic , was published in the 2009 June issue of the Lab Animal Journal (38(6):1-9). The second publication, entitle Development of electronic learning courses for surgical training of animal research personnel, will be published in the 2009 September issue of Lab Animal. This paper outlines steps involved in developing an effective E-learning surgical course and describe how to use various equipment and software products to help implement E-learning courses. VBI News admin Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:31:28 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=102 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=99 This year’s convention was extremely well attended with 9,488 participants. Our presentations, Online rodent surgical training and Rodent laparoscopic biotechnology for Research and the private practitioner, were well received. There was a significant number of questions and interest in the Rodent Laparoscopy talk. We had an opportunity to learn about new technologies such as high frequency surgical instruments, which we are planning to implement into our rodent surgical procedures and training. Our partner, BioVision Technologies, was there introducing and demonstrating their new line of laparoscopic instruments including the micro-endoscopes. We also had an opportunity to meet people from different fields who are interested in providing online education to veterinary students. We would recommend attending this conference in the future if you are interested in learning more about veterinary technologies, procedures and online education. VBI News admin Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:49:35 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=99 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=98 Recently published article in the 2009 June issue of the Lab Animal Nature Journal, entitled An introduction to electronic learning and its use to address challenges in surgical training, authored by the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s veterinarian, Dr. Baran in collaboration with Dr. Kehler (University of Pennsylvania) and Dr. Johnson (Harleysville Veterinary Hospital) has also been shared with the European Laboratory Animal Science Community by being published in the 2009 July issue of the Lab Animal Europe Journal. Please find below abstract of the article. The animal research community faces a shortage of surgical training opportunities along with an increasing demand for expertise in surgical techniques. One possible means of overcoming this challenge is the use of computer-based or electronic learning (e-learning) to disseminate material to a broad range of animal users. E-learning platforms can take many different forms, ranging from simple text documents that are posted online to complex virtual courses that incorporate dynamic video or audio content and in which students and instructors can interact in real time. The authors present an overview of e-learning and discuss its potential benefits as a supplement to hands-on rodent surgical training. They also discuss a few basic considerations in developing and implementing electronic courses. Read more… VBI News admin Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:35:26 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=98 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=97 We recently mentioned that Dr. Baran will be presenting during the 2009 Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) Conference. During this conference he will be presenting several lectures, and we have already provided information regarding his first two lectures. The last lecture entitled Assessment of surgical competence in the LAS and biomedical fields will be presented on Thursday (August 6th, 2009) during the afternoon Break Out Sessions. Please find an abstract of this presentation below. We are looking forward to seeing you there. The ability to objectively assess the technical competence of personnel utilizing animals in the laboratory animal science (LAS) and biomedical fields has always been challenging. In the human and veterinary surgical fields clinicians evaluate the surgical proficiency of trainees over months or years with independent review provided by national board examinations. In contrast, instructors in the LAS and biomedical fields may only have hours or days to perform technical skill assessments. Furthermore, many LAS programs currently employ subjective and unreliable testing methods, such as depending upon the opinion of an examiner after direct observation and/or review of operation log-books. Often the same LAS personnel are charged with both instructing and testing participants. This creates an inherent conflict of interest, as the institutional review of the efficacy of courses and instructors may rely upon the percentage of trainees receiving passing scores. To address these deficiencies, novel objective methods of technical skill assessment are currently being developed and are undergoing rigorous validation within the human surgical and veterinary fields. They include methods such as direct observation with defined testing criteria, final product analysis, and hand-motion analysis. Instructors in the LAS or biomedical field must also face the challenge of how to integrate objective assessments into training programs and how to detect resultant improvements in surgical outcome. This presentation will provide a review of current and experimental methods of assessing technical skill in the human, veterinary, and LAS fields. This talk will include both published studies, as well as ongoing assessments performed by the authors and their national and international colleagues to determine the surgical competency of LAS trainees, In addition to assessing technical skills, methods for testing animal users’ grasp of foundational components of surgical theory will be addressed. The presentation will conclude by reviewing the challenges and solutions to implementing new assessment technologies in LAS training programs. As these new methods are undergoing further validation, it is imperative that the LAS field adopt consistent and objective criteria for assessing improvement in surgical training outcomes. VBI News admin Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:02:05 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=97 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=96 We previously mentioned that Dr. Baran will be presenting during the 2009 Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) Conference. During this conference he will be presenting several lectures. The second lecture entitled Exam questions as useful tools to measure knowledge transfer and increase critical thinking developed in collaboration with Dr. James Kehler and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson will be presented on Thursday (August 6th, 2009) during the afternoon Break Out Sessions. Please find an abstract of this presentation below. We are looking forward to seeing you there. Prior to working with animals, personnel in the laboratory animal science (LAS) and biomedical fields are required to participate in various training courses. The knowledge transfer from these courses is measured through exams that are supposed to determine if the participant has learned the necessary skills and theories. Despite their importance, the questions included within the exams commonly receive the least attention during the course development process. Course designers often utilize ‘cut and paste’ multiple-choice questions that are easy to develop and easy for participants to answer. However, correct answers on this type of exam do not adequately measure or promote long-term retention of course material. Ideally, questions should be employed that require students to demonstrate an in-depth understanding and use of the material and identify areas which students have yet to master. Case-based questions require more effort to develop and grade, but they have been shown to be beneficial by requiring students to engage in a higher level of critical thinking rather than rely on simple regurgitation. Consequently, LAS instructors should consider this approach to promote more active learning, when they develop exam questions. Another consideration is the degree to which test questions measure students' achievement of the course goals. Exams should focus on the most valuable content and skills taught in a course and must be valid, reliable, and balanced. This presentation will review different approaches to developing exam questions in academic, veterinary, and medical environments and focus on how to best apply these methodologies in LAS and biomedical training programs. VBI News admin Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:43:22 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=96 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=95 We previously mentioned that Dr. Baran will be representing the Veterinary Bioscience Institute during the 2009 Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) Conference. During this conference he will be presenting several lectures. The first lecture entitled Guide to developing and implementing E-learning courses on rodent surgical training will be presented on Thursday (August 6th, 2009) during the Break Out Sessions. Please find an abstract of this presentation below. Recent advances in microsurgical equipment and rodent technologies have increased the demand for biomedical micro-surgeons. However, rodent surgical procedures are commonly self-taught through trial and error or passed on from one investigator to another. This approach is born out of necessity; there are a limited number of training centers, where investigators can learn both the fundamentals of rodent surgery and specific techniques needed for their studies. This empirical style of learning is expensive, inefficient in the use of animals, and introduces experimental biases into biomedical research. One alternative solution to the lack of available training is surgical electronic-learning (E-learning), an approach that has been successfully incorporated into human surgical curricula. E-learning helps achieve educational standardization by providing global access to consistent, up-to-date content and has significant advantages when properly utilized. Unlike a textbook, online lectures can rapidly incorporate surgical advances. Additionally, the adaptation of existing human surgical E-learning models provides researchers and practitioners in the fields of laboratory animal research and veterinary medicine the opportunity to learn new surgical techniques prior to using live animals. While E-learning does not eliminate the need for human instructors, it promotes the efficient use of their limited time. Human interaction is a vital ingredient to efficient online learning and can be facilitated through message boards and chats. The goal of our surgical E-learning project was to develop web-based, interactive courses on rodent surgical techniques in order to increase the quality of results and reduce the number of live animals used in research. Self-directed online modules were developed that integrated passive and interactive videos and animations to demonstrate background concepts and specific surgical techniques, along with self-assessment exercises and course feedback questionnaires. This combined approach to online E-learning utilized both accessibility and flexibility in order to successfully train a diverse group of participants. This presentation will provide a review of our experiences and those of our colleagues during the development and implementation of online surgical courses. In addition, we will cover the necessary resources and some of the challenges encountered during the creation of an effective E-learning program. VBI News admin Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:47:57 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=95 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=94 The 2009 LAWTE Conference in San Antonio, Texas is for trainers, supervisors, directors, managers, technicians, and anyone else who has laboratory animal training as part of their job. This year’s program is full of topics that can be incorporated into Laboratory Animal Training Programs. Dr. Szczepan Baran has the pleasure of presenting the following lectures during this LAWTE Conference: Guide to developing and implementing E-learning courses on rodent surgical training Exam Questions as useful tools to measure knowledge transfer and increase critical thinking Assessment of Surgical Competence in the Laboratory Animal Science and Bio-medical Fields We hope to see you there. Conference Venue: Hilton Palacio del Rio, San Antonio, Texas Dates: August 5, 6, 7, 2009, Conference Program: www.lawte.org/conference2009.htm Conference Registration: www.lawte.org/conference2009.htm VBI News admin Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:34:59 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=94 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=93 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute is excited to announce publication of an article written in collaboration with Dr. James Kehler from the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson from the Harleysville Veterinary Hospital dealing with the use of electronic leaning (E-learning) within the laboratory animal science (LAS) and biomedical communities as part of the rodent surgical training. This article was published in the June issue of the Lab Animal Journal (Volume 38, Issue 6, 2009). Please see the abstract below: An introduction to electronic learning and its use to address challenges in surgical training Szczepan W. Baran, VMD, MS1, 2, Elizabeth J. Johnson, VMD3 & James Kehler, VMD, PhD4 1 Veterinary Bioscience Institute, Harleysville, PA. 2 Drexel University, College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. 3 Harleysville Veterinary Hospital, Harleysville, PA. 4 University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies-NBC, Kennett Square, PA. The animal research community faces a shortage of surgical training opportunities along with an increasing demand for expertise in surgical techniques. One possible means of overcoming this challenge is the use of computer-based or electronic learning (e-learning) to disseminate material to a broad range of animal users. E-learning platforms can take many different forms, ranging from simple text documents that are posted online to complex virtual courses that incorporate dynamic video or audio content and in which students and instructors can interact in real time. The authors present an overview of e-learning and discuss its potential benefits as a supplement to hands-on rodent surgical training. They also discuss a few basic considerations in developing and implementing electronic courses. Read more… VBI News admin Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:50:54 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=93 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=92 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute will be presenting a talk as part of the Special Seminar series at the Department of Comparative Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA titled ‘Rodent Laparoscopic and Colonoscopic Biotechnology for the Research Community’ Date: July 15th, 2009 (Wednesday) Time: 1:30 PM Place: Department of Comparative Medicine Magnuson Health Sciences Building Room T-149 VBI News admin Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:05:59 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=92 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=91 VBI will be presenting at the 146th Annual Convention of the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) in Seattle, Washington. Presentations will include: ‘Online rodent surgical training’ on Tuesday, July 14th at 5:00 PM (Room 201)‘Rodent laparoscopic biotechnology for Research and the private practitioner’ on Tuesday, July 14th at 5:25 PM (Room 201) We are looking forward to seeing you there. VBI News admin Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:45:46 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=91 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=90 We mentioned previously that Veterinary Bioscience Institute has been approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) committee as an institution to provide continuing education for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. We are also pleased to announce that our courses and workshops also meet the criteria of the American and Canadian Associations for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS and CALAS) for continuing education units. VBI News admin Sat, 16 May 2009 11:05:21 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=90 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=89 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute has gathered a broad range of high quality videos from our online courses, presentations, and collaborators related to: surgeon and patient preparation proper surgical instrument handling surgical instrument selection suture patterns surgical procedures subcutaneous osmotic pump implantation abdominal surgery cannulation jugular vein carotid artery femoral vein pain assessment pain pathway Videos are continually being added to the Media Library as additional courses, collaborations and affiliations are developed. A full list of titles, over 300, can be viewed by clicking on the following link: Media Library List. Videos are stored on dedicated streaming servers and provided as streaming video. This means that video is visualized as soon as it is initiated, without needing to wait for it to download, which is similar to how movies are viewed on ABC.com. Veterinary Bioscience Institute's Media Library platform has been designed by our Information Technology staff with laboratory animal science and biomedical communities in mind. Videos are subdivided into general topics, such as anesthesia and analgesia or surgery. Additionally, the video library is easily searchable. The Media Library also includes a ‘My Briefcase’ function which allows you to store your favorite videos for quick access. Participants can rate videos and also leave comments. VBI News admin Fri, 15 May 2009 22:48:41 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=89 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=88 All Veterinary Bioscience Institute courses utilize high quality videos and images to demonstrate all procedures from instrument handling and all techniques from surgeon preparation to surgical technique or animal behaviors. Here are examples of videos from some of our courses: Making an instrument surgeon's knot Proper handling of needle drivers Here are examples of images from some of our courses: Square and surgeon's knot Needle anatomy VBI News admin Thu, 14 May 2009 23:50:42 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=88 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=87 There is a discount with multiple or institutional user registration for online courses, the media library or for a combined package. All of these registrations provide unlimited access to the material and provide continuing education credits for completed courses (CE Type 1 and CE Type 2). Please contact elearning@vetbiotech.com or 877-VET-BIOS for further details. VBI News admin Thu, 14 May 2009 23:04:48 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=87 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=86 Dr. Szczepan Baran presented a lecture entitled Rodent Anesthesia and Surgery E-learning - An Answer for the Future during April’s meeting of the AALAS Delaware Valley Branch (DVB) held at Merck Research Laboratories. His lecture was well received and ended with an interesting discussion with attendees who were interested in developing their own online training for their institutions as well as attendees who were interested in registering for VBI’s Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery course. VBI provides free access to this course to DVB members. Registration details are provided within the Electronic Education Opportunity for members of the Delaware Valley Branch of AALAS blog. VBI News admin Sun, 10 May 2009 00:34:51 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=86 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=85 I enjoyed presenting information and representing VBI at this conference. As an on-line educator, I learned a lot of useful information that VBI has already implemented into our website. Most of the power point presentations can be viewed on the Conference’s website . There were many interesting topics but of particular interest to VBI is the challenge of secure online testing. Cheryl Portwood presented on this topic and described her experience with equipment which provides this type of security. You can view her presentation on the Conference’s website. I also had an opportunity to meet people from different fields who are interested in providing online education to their students. I would recommend attending this conference in the future if you are interested in learning more about online education. VBI News admin Sat, 09 May 2009 00:18:05 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=85 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=84 Our workshop on rat cannulation during 2009 LASTS was very well received. We did receive one particular critique from most of the attendees, which was that this should be a whole day workshop versus half a day. We agree with this recommendation and next time if we have the opportunity to present this workshop at LASTS we will request to have a whole day for it. We would also like to thank Roboz Surgical Instrument Company, Alzet Corporation, and I.Miller Optical Company for sponsoring this workshop. Roboz Surgical Instrument Company provided basic surgical kits for each participant and microsurgical instrument kits for instructors. The Student Rat Cannulation Kit included the following instruments: RS-9843 SCALPEL HANDLE #3 RS-5231 BROWN ADSON FORCEPS RS-7884 OLSEN-HEGAR RS-6013 METZENBAUM CURVED SCISSORS RS-7233 GEMINI-MIXTER HEMOSTATIC FORCEPS RS-4927 VESSEL DILATORS RS-5271 GERALD CURVED FORCEPS RS-5280 CUSHING SERRETED FORCEPS RS-9260 REFLEX 9 MM CLIP APPLIER RS-9262 REFLEX 9 MM CLIPS RS- CANNULA INTRODUCER This kit allows for performance of basic cannulation procedures. However, if possible the Instructor Rat Cannulation kit is recommended. The inclusion of microsurgical instruments in the Instructor kit allows for easier and less traumatic handling of the tissues and vasculature. The Instructor Rat Cannulation Kit was composed of the following instruments: RS-6500 AGRICOLA RETRACTOR RS-9843 SCALPEL HANDLE #3 RS-9801-15 SCALPEL BLADE #15 RS-9250 REFLEX 9 MM CLIP APPLIER RS-9258 REFLEX 9 MM CLIPS RS-9263 REFLEX WOUND CLIP REMOVER RS-6870 MAYO SCISSORS-STRAIGHT RS-6013 METZENBAUM SCISSORS - STRAIGHT RS-5880 SHARP MICRO DISSECTING SSCISSOR - STRAIGHT RS-7880 OLSEN-HEGAR NEEDLE HOLDERS-SERRATED RS-5270 GERALD MICRODISSECTING FORCEPS-STRAIGHT, SERRATED RS-5271 GERALD MICRODISSECTING FORCEPS-CURVED, SERRATED RS-5264 RHOTON MICROSUTURING-CURVED RS-5262 RHOTON MICROSUTURING-STRAIGHT RS-6445 MICRONEEDLE HOLDER RS-5231 BROWN ADSON FORCEPS RS-4904 DUMONT TWEEZERS RS-7233 GEMINI-MIXTER HEMOSTATIC FORCEPS RS-7250 ADSON STRAIGHT SUT-1073-21 5-0 SILK,BLACK RS- CANNULA INTRODUCER RS-4927 VESSLE DIALATOR Alzet Corporation provided Alzet osmotic pumps and rat jugular catheters. I.Miller Optical Company supplied stereomicroscopes (surgical microscopes). We would like to thank all of these sponsors since we would not been able to provide this workshop without their support. VBI News admin Fri, 08 May 2009 07:21:55 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=84 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=83 We are finalizing our preparation for the Laboratory Animal Science and Technology Seminar (LASTS) for next week, March 28th. We have the honor of running two workshops; Rat Cannulaition and Rodent Laparoscopy workshops. Both of these workshops require a lot of equipment and surgical instrumentation and we would not be able to run these without significant support from our following partners: BioVision Technologies is providing all the laparoscopic equipment and instruments for the workshop entitled Rodent Laparoscopic Basics Laparoscopic procedures offer several advantages over laparotomies (open abdominal procedures). Laparoscopy results in less pain, faster recovery, earlier return of normal intestinal transit and gastric emptying, and rapid return to regular activities. Laparoscopic procedures are becoming commonly utilized on rodent models in biomedical research to investigate the processes of inflammation, neoplastic transformation, and to test novel treatments and develop novel cancer models. Newly developed rodent laparoscopy procedures allow for the examination of the rodent abdominal cavity and organs within it, and permit serial biopsy collections without sacrificing the animal. This training is designed for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and research staff without experience in rodent laparoscopy. This workshop is intended as an introduction to rodent laparoscopy and will include a review of basic laparoscopic principles, gross anatomy of the rodent abdominal cavity and commonly performed rodent laparoscopic procedures. During this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to advance their skills with rodent laparoscopy including the proper selection, usage and handling of rodent appropriate laparoscopic instruments and equipment. By the end of this workshop participants should be better able to plan and perform research experiments with their own rodent models using this viable surgical technique. Alzet Osmotic Pumps, I. Miller Precision Optical Instruments and Roboz is providing equipment and instruments required for the workshop entitled Rat Cannulation Vascular cannulation of rodents is a procedure widely used in various areas of biomedical research, especially toxicology, to allow repeated or constant intravenous administration of compounds and/or collection of blood samples. It is also useful for the measurements of blood pressure. This workshop is designed for beginners and is intended as an introduction to rodent cannulation. It will include a review of gross anatomy, cannulation materials and basic cannulation principles and techniques. During this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to perform jugular cannulation, including the proper selection, usage and handling of applicable surgical instruments and equipment. By the end of this workshop participants should be better able to plan and perform research experiments with their own rodent models using these techniques. This workshop will be composed of two phases. Phase one will include students developing their technical skills by performing exercises using an operating microscope with microsurgical instruments, and the second phase will involve applying these skills to perform jugular cannulation. Alzet Osmotic Pumps is providing cannulation sets including osmotic pumps and catheters. I. Miller Precision Optical Instruments is providing stereomicroscopes. Roboz is providing sets of microsurgical instruments. Please join us thanking these sponsors since we really could not be able to perform these workshops without their support. VBI News admin Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:24:02 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=83 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=80 Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery Dr. Szczepan Baran will be presenting a lecture entitled Rodent Anesthesia and Surgery E-learning-An Answer for the Future during the upcoming meeting of the Delaware Valley AALAS, held at Merck Research Laboratories, West Point on April 8th, 2009. His lecture will address utilization of online training as a complement to hands-on surgical and anesthesia training. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn exciting and innovative uses of online technology within the laboratory animal training programs. More details will be provided soon, including the exact location and time. We look forward to seeing you there. VBI News admin Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:17:20 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=80 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=75 We mentioned previously that our online course, ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery,’ has been approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) committee for 5 Continuing Education Credits for veterinarians and veterinary technicians and by the Director of the Professional Development of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) for 5 AALAS Continuing Education Units (CEU). We are also pleased to announce that the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (CALAS) approved this course, ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery,’ for 3 CALAS Continuing Education Units (CEU). As usual, if you participate in the ‘interactive’ course, you should keep track of your participation hours and submit this number for your CEU. VBI News admin Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:05:07 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=75 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=119 Rodent specific behaviors associated with pain Researchers have observed behaviors in rodents that have been attributed to increased levels of pain. Back arching, staggering, pressing, writhing, and twitching of the skin and abdomen, or combination of behaviors may indicate the need for analgesia. Food intake, water intake, and body weight may all decrease post operatively in a painful animal. Other normal behaviors, like climbing and grooming, may also be decreased in an animal in pain. Small rodents experiencing pain may show piloerection. Also, animals may pay too much attention to a particular body part if painful. For example, they may stare at the body part, chew excessively at it, or even groom it excessively. It takes practice and careful observation in order to detect pain and monitor the effectiveness of pain control while using analgesics. Pain behaviors can be confused with normal behaviors. When using wound licking as one of the behaviors for signs of pain it must be remembered that licking is also performed by rats even with high doses of analgesics. When assessing pain, many behaviors as possible should be observed to determine if a rodent is painful. Behavioral formulas could assist this process by adding up the frequency of behaviors associated with pain. Behavioral formulas can be designed to include not only signs of pain but signs of normal behaviors as well. * This is an excerpt from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’ s Laboratory Mouse and Rat Anesthesia, Analgesia and Euthanasia course. Main Blog admin Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:43:24 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=119 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=118 Detection of pain Ideally, each animal’s behaviors should be observed and, if an individual is determined to be in pain, then analgesia should be provided. Therefore an analgesic protocol for a group of rodents should be developed and then observation should be used to tailor the individual dosing. This is in contrast to providing an analgesic protocol for an entire group which is a common practice with rodents due to the number of animals utilized per experiment. Assessment of normal as well as pain associated rodent behavior during the day can lead to misinterpretation. To complicate pain recognition further, variation in pain sensitivity and responsiveness to analgesics among different rodent genders and strains has been observed. Additionally, clinical signs can be interpreted subjectively by different individuals. In order to simplify detection and make it more objective, pain scoring systems can be developed. Individual scoring systems must be developed for specific procedures, species, genders and strains. For example a scoring system for a laparotomy (incision into the abdomen) will not be the same as that needed for a thoracotomy (incision into the thorax). Some analgesics are associated with specific rodent behavioral changes (e.g., walking and grooming is seen under the influence of buprenorphine, while scratching and face washing is seen with ketoprofen and carprofen analgesia). Initial rodent pain studies included red light monitoring of animals during the dark hours of the light cycle with video equipment, and then reviewing the videos. This might be ideal but it is not feasible and practical for most rodent facilities. Recent data shows that it is possible to determine if a rat is in pain by observing it for 5 to 10 minutes postsurgically during the light phase of the light cycle and by utilization of behavioral signs. Therefore, it is recommended that observation of rodents should be performed for a minimum of 5-10 minutes at a time, and personnel observing the animals must be trained in noticing painful animal behavior. * This is an excerpt from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’ s Laboratory Mouse and Rat Anesthesia, Analgesia and Euthanasia course. Main Blog admin Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:21:56 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=118 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=117 Challenges of pain detection Detection of pain in rodents is challenging. There is not a standard guideline used or score sheet to determine if a rodent is experiencing pain. It seems as though rodents, when compared to humans, have a much higher tolerance for pain, which allows them to mask signs of it. Masking signs of pain may have an evolutionary benefit for rodents because it would make them a less likely predatory target than animals that are overtly injured. Therefore, pain detection in rodents utilizes subtle behavioral clues that alert personnel to their condition. Currently, most personnel extrapolate the knowledge of the expected level of pain a procedure may cause and couple it with the skill of the person performing the procedure in order to formulate an analgesic protocol. The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide) recommend that unless otherwise shown, if the procedure is expected to be painful to people it should be considered as a painful procedure in animals. * This is an excerpt from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’ s Laboratory Mouse and Rat Anesthesia, Analgesia and Euthanasia course. Main Blog admin Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:47:02 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=117 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=116 Provision of rodent analgesia Provision of analgesia in rodents is challenging because it is challenging to assess physiological and behavioral changes associated with pain in these animals. This is due to the fact that rodents are small, nocturnal animals, vocalize at ultrasonic frequencies and often hide signs of pain. Detecting painful behavior requires one to become a trained observer. However, there can be large variations between individual observers. Fortunately within the last decade scientific data has been introduced which describes various behaviors associated with pain in rodents. Observation of pain associated behaviors and knowledge of normal behaviors allows for the proper assessment of pain. * This is an excerpt from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’ s Laboratory Mouse and Rat Anesthesia, Analgesia and Euthanasia course. Main Blog admin Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:44:24 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=116 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=115 Introduction* Providing analgesia is a fundamental skill that must be practiced with confidence by anyone performing potentially painful procedures on animals in the biomedical field. Reasons for providing analgesia include animal welfare, compliance with regulatory guidelines, and because pain introduces experimental variation that can skew data or require the use of additional animals to validate results. An understanding of pharmacology, physiology, and specific applications is paramount in order to choose an appropriate analgesic. Factors such as the health, age and strain of the rodent, duration, and the amount of pain expected from a procedure are just a few of the considerations when choosing an analgesic protocol. Analgesia limits pain perception from a stimulus that would normally elicit a painful response. Pain causes physiological and psychological changes in rodents that can skew the results of an experiment, and increase morbidity and mortality. In some cases, such as surgical procedures, the potential for pain is obvious. In other cases, that potential is not as apparent. For example, more subtle sources of pain may occur from rodent models of arthritis, cancers (e.g. bone neoplasm) and infectious diseases (e.g. those with ulcerating lesions where pain can be chronic and subtle). Every attempt should be made at treating pain preemptively, rather than waiting until a rodent is exhibiting signs of pain. An optimal protocol of pain relief should include pre-, intra-, and post-procedural analgesia and a decrease in the establishment of hypersensitivity. * This is an excerpt from the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’ s Laboratory Mouse and Rat Anesthesia, Analgesia and Euthanasia course. Main Blog admin Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:30:08 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=115 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=112 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) will be attending the 2009 American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Conference. During this conference VBI will be presenting a workshop entitled Introduction to Basic Principles of Large Animal and Rodent (mouse and rat) Laparoscopy through Inanimate Object Training. This workshop is presented in collaboration with BioVision Technologies, LLC and Surgical Science. This is going to be a unique and eventful workshop. First, participants will have an opportunity to be trained on the LapSim System which uses cutting-edge simulation technology to provide an effective and validated learning experience through digitally recreated procedures of the abdomen via a keyhole surgery. The LapSim System promotes the three R’s (Reduction, Replacement and Refinement) by allowing trainees to practice a wide-range of laparoscopic skills prior to the utilization of animals. Second, participants will have an opportunity to try out their skills learned on the LapSim System on inanimate models with BioVision’s amazingly compact, easy to use, laparoscopic visualization system. This system allows the performance of everything from routine intra-abdominal organ biopsies to complex minimally invasive surgical procedures. BioVision’s laparoscopic systems and instrumentation are so diverse that species as large as dogs or non-human primates or as small as a 20 gram mouse can use their technologies with ease and precision. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute is in the process of refining rodent laparoscopy techniques such as liver biopsies, subcapsular tumor injections, and developing rodent reproductive techniques such as oocyte collection and artificial insemination. These protocols and more will be introduced during the workshop, and participants will receive folders with detailed descriptions of these protocols. Main Blog admin Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:46:01 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=112 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=111 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) will be attending the 2009 American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Conference. During this conference VBI will be presenting a workshop entitled Introduction to Basic Principles of Large Animal and Rodent (mouse and rat) Laparoscopy through Inanimate Object Training. This workshop is presented in collaboration with BioVision Technologies, LLC and Surgical Science. Please find description of the abstract below as well as the time and location. Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Time: 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Location: Denver Convention Center; Room: 108 Abstract Laparoscopic procedures off er several advantages over laparotomies. Laparoscopy is less invasive (thus decreasing the need for variables like analgesics or antibiotics), and results in earlier return to oral intake and normal physiological status. Laparoscopy is a powerful diagnostic tool for examining the abdominal cavity and for the collection of intrabdominal biopsies to detect inflammatory, neoplastic, and many other pathologic and non-pathologic changes. Furthermore, laparoscopy is commonly used for the treatment of gastrointestinal and reproductive diseases as well as for assisted reproductive technology procedures such as oocyte collection and artificial insemination. Laparoscopic procedures are commonly used in biomedical research to investigate the processes of inflammation, neoplastic transformation, and to test novel treatments and develop novel cancer models. This surgical modality allows examination of the abdominal cavity and performance of artificial reproductive procedures and serial biopsy collections without sacrificing the animal, while allowing the same animal to serve as its own control. This workshop is designed for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and research staff as a basic introduction to large animal and rodent laparoscopy. This workshop will include a review of basic laparoscopic principles, techniques, complications, anesthetic considerations, and proper selection of laparoscopic instruments and equipment. Participants will have the opportunity to handle large animal and rodent appropriate laparoscopic instruments and equipment while working with inanimate box trainers. By the end of this workshop, participants should have a basic understanding of laparoscopy and equipment as well as when laparoscopy could be used in biomedical research. This workshop will consist of 2.5 didactic hours followed by 45 minutes introductory dry lab to introduce the trainee to basic laparoscopic techniques. Further training beyond this course is recommended before performing laparoscopic procedures in live subjects. Main Blog admin Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:42:38 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=111 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=106 Microvascular anastomosis of vessels with 0.5 mm or smaller diameter is a difficult process. The main challenge during this procedure is the inclusion of the posterior wall during anastomosis. Miyamoto et al performed the first comparative study of the techniques described in the literature to determine the best technique. In the end, they found that the open guide suture technique was optimal. This technique provided a clear view of the lumen. Poor visualization is one of the main reasons for inclusion of the posterior wall. In addition, the open guide suture technique is easier to learn and perform in comparison to the other reviewed techniques. Abstract Summary Objective: The anastomosis of very small vessels (external diameter: 0.5 mm) is challenging and requires high microsurgical skill. This study aims to investigate the optimal technique for the anastomosis of very small vessels. We compared three anastomotic techniques on the basis of success rate and anastomosis time in a superficial inferior epigastric arterial flap model in rats. Methods: Forty-five SpragueeDawley rats were divided into three groups of 15 rats. The superficial inferior epigastric artery flap was elevated, and only the artery was cut and anastomosed under magnification. The anastomosis was performed with the conventional technique, with the intravascular stenting technique or with the open guide suture technique. Flap survival was assessed on postoperative day 5, and the success rates of the groups were compared. In addition, the time required for anastomosis was compared between the groups. Results: All flaps survived, and success rates did not differ significantly between the groups. The average anastomosis times with the conventional technique (770.0 s) and the intravascular stenting technique (822.8 s) did not differ significantly but were significantly greater than that with the open guide suture technique (699.2 s). Read on… Miyamoto S, Sakuraba M, Asano T, Tsuchiya S, Hamamoto Y, Onoda S, Tomori Y, Yasunaga Y, Harii K. Optimal technique for microvascular anastomosis of very small vessels: comparative study of three techniques in a rat superficial inferior epigastric arterial flap model. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2009 Jul 6. [Epub ahead of print.] Main Blog admin Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:11:07 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=106 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=105 Patients with intestinal failure who are not good candidates for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) treatment or for patients who have had previous reactions to TPN are left with only one option, small-intestine transplantation (SIT). This option comes with a risk of infection, acute and chronic rejection, and graft-versus-host disease. Therefore, a significant effort has been put forth in order to solve this challenge. The rat has played an important role in the development of surgical protocols and in the understanding of the immunological consequences of these procedures. This year Xue et al have summarized previous transplantation protocols and introduced a new microsurgical vascular anastomosis technique using porto-portal cuff anastomosis without a microscope or traditional suture for vascular construction and they reported a decreased rate of complication and an increased survival rate with this technique. Please see the abstract below. Abstract BACKGROUND: Establishment of an instant, reproducible, and reliable rat model of a refined 3-cuff technique for performing orthotopic intestinal transplantation is reported, and the surgical skills required to perform modified surgical procedure are discussed. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was used to study 270 rat cases subject to orthotopic intestinal transplantation (OIT) performed in our transplantation center from March 2006 to March 2008. After establishing the portal vein cuff method, a conventional hand-sewn anastomosis method combination, with porto-to-portal re-establishment by cuffed anastomosis technique, was used in group 1 (n _ 140), and the modified 3-cuff anastomosis method was applied in group 2 (n _ 130). Statistical comparison was made between the 2 groups. RESULTS: In group 1, 97 of 140 (69.3%) recipients survived _7 days, and 69 (49.3%) survived 30 days, whereas in group 2, respective survival was 110 of 130 (84.6%) and 86 of 130 (66.2%). Average cold ischemic times in the 2 groups were 48.5 _ 5.1 minutes and 31 _ 3.0 minutes,respectively. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups (P _.05). In most cases, the average volume of bleeding during recipient surgery was _1 mL using the simplified 3-cuff anastomosis technique. There was shorter graft revascularization time with the new model of sutureless microanastomosis using cuff apparatus for OIT in rats compared with the control group. The method adopted in group 2 was much easier, more stable, and more feasible than that in group 1. Sixty-three rats died in 7 days, and autopsy verified the causative factors leading to death, which are summarized in the text. The results obtained were acceptable and satisfactory. Overall, there was a comparative lower incidence of complications associated with the procedure used in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: The modified 3-cuff anastomosis technique for rat OIT models has several obvious advantages, which can be summarized as follows: vascular anastomosis is stable and simplified, and blood loss is significantly decreased; natural anatomic physiologic portal graft drainage is maintained; and intraoperative mortality and postsurgical morbidity are minimized. Furthermore, technical refinement of rat OIT models established by our research team can be carried out without a microscope and can be easily implemented in the laboratory by 1 trainee with acceptable success after a short period of training. We regard it as one of the best available orthotopic small-bowel transplantation methods in rat. Read on… Main Blog admin Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:08:21 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=105 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=104 Rodent surgical models are becoming more intricate as rodent appropriate instrumentation and equipment is becoming available. Furthermore, investigators are including detailed descriptions of mouse and rat surgical procedures within their publications. Reviews of specific surgical mouse and rat procedures are also becoming available. This information is invaluable so groups can learn from each other instead of developing their own surgical models from the beginning thereby reducing the number of mice and rats. This also leads to standardization of surgical procedures allowing easier comparison of data between studies. One group willing to share their surgical experience, Marevossian and others, reviews pancreas and kidney transplantation in the rat in the recent issue of the European Surgery Research Journal. . Read on … Microsurgical Technique of Simultaneous Pancreas/Kidney Transplantation in the Rat: Clinical Experience and Review of the Literature Matevossian E, Doll D, Sinicina I, Kern H, Bald C, Nährig J, Stangl M, Thorban S, Hüser N. Eur Surg Res 2009;43:245-251. Main Blog admin Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:53:24 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=104 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=103 Stereotaxic surgery is one of commonly performed surgeries in rodents. The success of this type of surgery depends on anatomical precision while targeting specific internal brain structures. Majority of stereotaxic atlases describe anatomy of adult brains which are not ideal for neonatal rodent models. Aggarwal and others have developed three-dimensional stereotaxic atlases of mouse brains at six postnatal developmental stages: postnatal day (P) 7, P14, P21, P28, P63 and in adults (P140-P160). These atlases will improve the accuracy of targeting brain structures during stereotaxic surgery in neonatal mice. Read on … Magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography combined atlas of developing and adult mouse brains for stereotaxic surgery. Aggarwal M, Zhang J, Miller MI, Sidman RL, Mori S. Neuroscience. 2009 May 30. [Epub ahead of print] Main Blog admin Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:08:25 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=103 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=101 Providing analgesia to mice orally can be challenging. One of the reasons is determining what their daily food or water intake is. Bachmanov and others addressed this topic in their paper entitled ‘Food Intake, Water Intake, and Drinking Spout Side Preference of 28 Mouse Strains.'This paper reviews food and water intake, as well as drinking spout side preference of 28 strains of mice (listed below). Group found that there were large strain differences in food and water intake. The strain differences described in this paper provide useful information for determining and providing accurate oral analgesic dosages. Read on … The following strains were used in this study: 129P3/J, A/J, AKR/J, BALB/cByJ, BUB/BnJ, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, C57L/J, CAST/Ei, CBA/J, CE/J, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, I/LnJ, KK/HlJ, LP/J, NOD/LtJ, NZB/BlNJ, P/J, PL/J, RBF/DnJ, RF/J, RIIIS/J, SEA/GnJ, SJL/J, SM/J, SPRET/Ei, and SWR/J Main Blog admin Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:53:04 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=101 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=100 The question of rats and vomiting resurfaces every so often and the answer usually provided is ‘No, rats can not vomit.’ Of course, the follow up questions usually are: how do you know? Do you have references? Well, www.ratbehavior.org provides a review of this topic with a list of references on their website; www.ratbehavior.org/vomit.htm . Please feel free to email us at info@vetbiotech.com if you know of any additional sources about this topic. Main Blog admin Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:30:10 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=100 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=82 Here are several websites which address Survival Rodent Surgery requirements, standard operating procedures and regulations: · NIH Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery · Department of Comparative Medicine at Washington University o Handout that accompanies their class on rodent surgery · Cornell University o Standard Operating Procedure for rodent surgery · Southern Illinois University o IACUC requirements for survival rodent surgery · American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine o Position statement on requirements for rodent surgery · University of California, San Francisco o IACUC guidelines for Rodent Survival Surgery · Washington State University o Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery Main Blog admin Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:33:14 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=82 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=78 Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is excited to announce that our video content will now be provided from a streaming server. We did utilize streaming content in the past, but it was provided through web servers. There are several advantages of the switch to streaming servers. First, this type of server provides better audio and video quality to the user. Additionally, users are able to view the video instantaneously and they do not have to wait for the video to download. The last advantage is security. Video content through web servers is downloaded to the participant computer either in one piece or several pieces whereas with a streaming server, the video content is being observed directly from the provider’s server. This prevents downloading of the video content. All of these advantages benefit both our students and students at other institutions that utilize VBI’s E-portal (online educational management platform) to access educational materials. Here is a detailed description of web servers versus streaming servers: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/compare/webservvstreamserv.aspx Main Blog admin Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:31:57 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=78 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=77 Over the past two years, the Veterinary Bioscience Institute staff has learned about online learning and development of online educational materials, including surgical training materials. This experience results from developing online rodent surgical training materials as well as through course and meeting attendance and consultations. Throughout this process, we have compiled an internal guide for development of online surgical training courses. Recently, we had an opportunity to share this guide, in the form of an outline with brief descriptions of all steps involved, in the March issue of the ALN magazine. Please see the below excerpt: Surgical E-learningBy Szczepan Baran, VMD, MS, Elizabeth Johnson, VMD, and James Kehler, VMD, Ph.D.March 2009 A Guide for Developing Effective Online Surgical Training Courses The laboratory animal science (LAS) and biomedical communities are composed of globally dispersed members with various backgrounds, including undergraduates, graduates, postdoctoral students, and researchers with doctorates in philosophy, human, or veterinary medicine. All personnel within these communities who utilize animals are required to undergo basic animal biomethodology training. Additionally, in order for an animal study protocol to be approved, all personnel performing surgical procedures are required to be proficient in those surgical procedures. Unfortunately, surgical training is not required by most institutions. Therefore, the majority of personnel become proficient in surgery by trial and error with little background instruction. One of the main reasons surgical training is not required is because it is not readily available, and those courses that do exist are expensive and time consuming. The number of surgical training courses currently offered is limited by a shortage of qualified instructors in the LAS community, especially those skilled in teaching rodent surgeries. These challenges can be partially overcome and addressed by offering basic surgical training online. Read more… Main Blog admin Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:31:47 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=77 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=76 Dr. Szczepan Baran will be presenting a lecture entitled Development and Implementation of Multimedia Content for Web-Based Surgery Courses during the 7th Annual Regional eLearning 2.0 Conference at Drexel University. His lecture will address development of veterinary surgical web-based content as well as design and implementation of human online surgical training programs. Conference attendees will learn about exciting and innovative uses of technology in teaching and learning. Attendees will also gain knowledge of myriad practical and meaningful strategies in eLearning and technology use that they can utilize at their own institutions. Finally, the lectures will include fresh information about the effect of on online student retention (persistence), student outcomes, and student participation from a broad-based array of perspectives. Please stop by and say hello if you are attending or if you are in the area. Conference Venue: Drexel UniversityCreese Student Center, Behrakis Grand Hall 3200 Chestnut StreetPhiladelphia, PAThursday, March 26, 20097:30am - 4:00pm http://www.drexel.edu/irt/elearningconf2009/floorPlan.html Conference Program: http://www.drexel.edu/irt/elearningconf2009/schedule.html Conference Registration: http://www.drexel.edu/irt/elearningconf2009/ Main Blog admin Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:25:45 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=76 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=74 Pneumonic plague (Yersinia pestis) is most commonly studied in mice and monkeys1, 2, 3. Recently, a team of scientists from the University of Missouri and the University of Chicago used the Brown Norway rat to investigate the plague’s mechanism of action because of the similar clinical and histological effects the bubonic plague has on humans and this species of rat. In this study, the Brown Norway rat is not only introduced and described as a model but is also utilized for evaluation of pneumonic plague vaccines. Read more… 1 Williamson E, Eley S, Stagg A, Green M, Russell P, Titball R: A single dose sub-unit vaccine protects against pneumonic plague. Vaccine 2001, 19:566-571. 2 Williamson E, Eley S, Griffin K, Green M, Russell P, Leary S, Oyston P, Easterbrook T, Reddin K, Robinson A, Titball R: A new improved sub-unit vaccine for plague: the basis for protection. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 1995, 12:223-230. 3 Williamson E, Flick-Smith H, LeButt C, Rowland C, Jones S, Waters E, Gwyther R, Miller J, Packer P, Irving M: Human immune response to a plague vaccine comprising recombinant F1 and V antigens. Infect Immun 2005, 73:3598-3608. 4 Sebbane F, Gardner D, Long D, Gowen B, Hinnebusch B: Kinetics of disease progression and host response in a rat model of bubonic plague. Am J Pathol 2005, 166:1427-1439. Main Blog admin Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:51:11 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=74 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=73 Many academic communities have been utilizing the Internet for collaborative efforts and education since its inception, and the medical community was quick to follow. One of the early players in the veterinary community’s online activity was the Veterinary Information Network, which now provides discussion boards and continuing education resources for veterinarians and veterinary technicians and a platform for veterinary students. While it took a few years for the veterinary community to come on board, the laboratory animal science (LAS) community, in comparison, was the last to join in. The American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) is now one of the major players within the LAS online community, offering a learning library which includes comprehensive online courses that cover the majority of topics required by the community. Recently, a group at the University of Liège reported a study on equine atypical myopathy. Interestingly, they collected data for the study from veterinary practitioners and clinicians at various veterinary colleges using the Atypical Myopathy Alert Group, a network which the authors created. Participants in the Group included veterinarians from Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Scotland, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. The data collected through this Group was posted on their website and published in the The Veterinary Journal . After publication of the article, a guest editorial was published that praised the University of Liège group for setting up their Atypical Myopathy Alert Group and suggested that the network be expanded to include links to pictures, histology slides, videos of post mortems, and the living clinical cases from various outbreaks. This improvement would not only create a resource for additional data collections, but it would also serve as a great educational tool. However, because web links change or become obsolete quickly, a more ideal solution would be to allow veterinarians to upload this information to one website, thus making it easily accessible to veterinarians worldwide. This would require more resources such as funding and servers, especially if video content is uploaded. However, if maintained by a collective group versus individuals, such a site would increase the chances of the material being continuously available in the long term. The above referenced article and editorial serve as another reminder that the Internet can play a significant role within the veterinary community in terms of both data consortiums and education. Written On: February 27th, 2009. Main Blog admin Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:23:59 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=73 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=72 Fuat Balci, David Freestone, and Charles R. Gallistel of Rutgers University report that mice and humans are as equally proficient when faced with the task of learning which location is the best place to obtain a reward: Human and mouse subjects tried to anticipate at which of 2 locations a reward would appear. On a randomly scheduled fraction of the trials, it appeared with a short latency at one location; on the complementary fraction, it appeared after a longer latency at the other location. Subjects of both species accurately assessed the exogenous uncertainty (the probability of a short versus a long trial) and the endogenous uncertainty (from the scalar variability in their estimates of an elapsed duration) to compute the optimal target latency for a switch from the short- to the long-latency location. Read more… Read full article… Main Blog admin Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:12:35 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=72 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=71 Fuat Balci, David Freestone and Charles Gallistel from Rutgers University report that mice and humans are about equally proficient when faced with a task of learning which location is the best place to obtain a reward: Human and mouse subjects tried to anticipate at which of 2 locations a reward would appear. On a randomly scheduled fraction of the trials, it appeared with a short latency at one location; on the complementary fraction, it appeared after a longer latency at the other location. Subjects of both species accurately assessed the exogenous uncertainty (the probability of a short versus a long trial) and the endogenous uncertainty (from the scalar variability in their estimates of an elapsed duration) to compute the optimal target latency for a switch from the short- to the long-latency location. Read more… Read full article… Main Blog admin Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:34:49 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=71 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=70 Bone marrow transplantation techniques in rodents are of particular interest to me since my time spent at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as a research associate for almost two year where rodent and dog models are utilized for bone marrow transplantation studies. During the 1960s and 1970s, a team of scientists at the Center, led by Nobel Laureate Dr. E. Donnall Thomas and including Dr. Rainer Storb, worked to perfect the bone marrow transplant procedure. Transplantation research utilizing animal models continues at the Center today, thus affording me the opportunity to learn bone marrow transplantation techniques in rodents, including collection and delivery of bone marrow. One of the more interesting techniques I learned was a survivable collection of bone marrow from a mouse. Because of recent discussion at our Institute and on list servers, it was especially exciting to see these techniques addressed in a review article in the January 2009 issue of Journal of American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The review, titled Principles of Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT): Providing Optimal Veterinary and Husbandry Care to Irradiated Mice in BMT Studies, addresses transplantation techniques in mice including advantages and disadvantages of various delivery routes. The authors also point out the negative effects of technical errors on the procedures. To prevent such errors, they recommend: that personnel performing bone marrow transplantation techniques receive proper training (this is a basic principle but one that is often taken for granted). that personnel demonstrate their proficiency by performing bone marrow transplant techniques with saline ‘inocula’ into naïve animals. that the institution consider: developing a for-fee injection service. teaching tail-vein injection techniques and recommending other. techniques to surgical personnel. In addition, the review addresses basic principles of the bone marrow transplant procedure, transplant-related complications, the role of animal irradiators, specific husbandry and veterinary care needs of animals undergoing bone marrow transplant procedures, and the side effects of opportunistic infectious agents. Please find the abstract and the link to the article below. Principles of Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT): Providing Optimal Veterinary and Husbandry Care to Irradiated Mice in BMT Studies. Written On: February 11th, 2009. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the treatment of choice for many leukemias, solid tumors, and metabolic diseases. The field of bone marrow research is highly dependent on in vivo experimentation, because in vitro techniques do not mimic these complicated in vivo systems. Therefore, understanding the medical and husbandry care needs of these transiently immunodeficient bone marrow recipient animals is crucial for researchers, veterinary and animal care personnel. Here we discuss the principles of bone marrow transplantation, mouse pathogens that can interfere with transplantation research, and important husbandry and veterinary practices for mice that may help to minimize unnecessary infections during the transplantation process. Whole-body irradiation is one of the most common tools for myeloablation of the recipient's bone marrow. Read more... Main Blog admin Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:30:37 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=70 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=69 One of the challenges for the laboratory animal community is to determine how many animals of each species are being utilized in research each year. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published their data for Fiscal Year 2007 . This type of data takes an enormous amount of time and resources to obtain and organize. Consequently, the last time the USDA published this type of data was in 2001. The question of the number of animals utilized in research comes up often and information and reports on this topic can be found on the Internet. However, when reading these reports, including the USDA report, it is imperative not to take them at face value. This is especially true for information regarding mice and rat usage since no one collects this information. This topic was recently discussed on one of the scientific listservs, and the following questions concerning the available animal use data were raised by an expert in the field: What is the definition of the term "used" when referring to animals in research? Are these animals that are enrolled in experiments? Does this term include animals that are genotyped and culled for having the non-desirable genotype? Does this term include animals that are bred for research but then never used for any number of reasons? Does this term include animals used in long term studies, and are they counted each year they are in the study or only in the year they are placed in the study? Regarding mice and rats, the usage data usually states that they are 90%, 95%, or 99% of the total mammals used in research, but is there specific data to support these percentages? Within the last few years, utilization of zebra fish in research has been increasing. However, the data on this species is lacking since they, similar to mice and rats, are not covered by the Animal Welfare Act. Despite these uncertainties, the overall accountability and reporting of numbers of animals used in research is improving, and more funding is being provided to obtain this data. The challenge of determining the numbers of animals used in research exists not only in the United States but also internationally. This topic is brought up by the media in United Kingdom at least once a year: Lab animal numbers continue trend Written On: February 11th, 2009. The number of animals used in UK labs for scientific experiments is now more than three million - a level not seen since the beginning of the 1990s. Home Office figures show that in 2007, all procedures in England, Wales and Scotland used 3.1 million animals. The year-on-year increase of 6% continues the recent upward trend driven mainly by the use of rodents in genetics experiments. Mice and rats constitute more than 80% of all animals used in laboratories. The remainder involve primarily fish, birds, and reptiles/amphibians. Dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates receive special protection under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. These were used in less than 1% of all procedures. Most procedures are for research and drug development; safety testing accounts for much of the rest. Animal welfare groups criticized what amounts to the sixth yearly rise in succession, but scientists said the work was necessary if society wanted to find ever more effective treatments for debilitating diseases. The number of animals used in lab experiments peaked in the 1970s with more than five million procedures carried out annually. Read more... EU urged to review animal testing Written On: February 11th, 2009. A world expert on primates, Dr Jane Goodall, has urged Europe to find alternatives to experiments on animals. Speaking in Brussels, Dr Goodall called for work on "new ways of testing and experimenting that will not involve the use of live, sentient beings". An EU directive on the protection of animals used for research dates back to 1986 and is due to be revised. An estimated 11 million animals are used in experiments in the EU annually. The practice is highly regulated. Many scientists argue that experiments on animals are vital in the development of treatments for crippling human diseases and conditions. Read more... Main Blog admin Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:12:51 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=69 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=67 Not all recommendations for human or veterinary surgery facilities can be applied to rodent surgical facilities because the majority of areas, including patient prep, surgery, patient recovery, and often surgeon prep, are found within one room. Here we list recommendations that can be applied to all rodent surgery facilities. Movement of personnel should be kept to a minimum while surgical procedures, invasive and noninvasive, are in progress1. Air is a potential carrier of microorganisms, which can contaminate surgical areas and sites. Since microorganism shedding is increased with activity, increased chances of airborne contamination can be expected with increased movement of personnel through the surgical area.2 Limiting air movement during surgery can be accomplished by: i. Limiting the number of personnel present in the surgical area. An increase in personnel can increase the number of airborne microorganisms and their movement. Talking and uncovered skin can contribute to microbial contamination3. 1. Perform surgeries at a time of day when personnel is limited. 2. Post signs that surgery is being performed in order to limit personnel access. ii. Implementing pre-surgical planning for patient and surgical needs. Pre-surgical planning can reduce the need for excess movement or activity during surgical procedures (e.g. not having enough suture material). iii. Keeping the door to the surgery room/suite closed. In many facilities, the pressure within the rodent procedure rooms is greater than in the corridors. Therefore, leaving the door open can cause turbulent airflow by disrupting pressurization, which in turn could increase airborne microorganism contamination. The flow of sterile surgical instruments, materials, and equipment used prior to and during surgery should be separated from non-sterile items in order to decrease the risk of contamination and infection4. Shipped items should be opened outside of the surgical area to limit debris, dust, microorganisms, and insects brought in from the outside5. Sterile instruments, materials, and equipment should be located on one side of the patient and non-sterile materials placed on the opposite side to limit the risk of contamination. Non-sterile materials should not be transferred over the surgical site. Main Blog admin Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:00:33 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=67 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=63 The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (The Guide) lists a multitude of references on the topic of surgery, including rodent surgery. While very useful, many of these references seem to have been forgotten and are not commonly utilized. Below are references from The Guide which deal with the topic of surgery and aseptic technique. Over the next few weeks, we will go down the list of the articles, choose a topic, provide short summaries of the articles on that topic, and search for recently published articles on the same topic. We invite you to provide us with your comments, and if you have or know of any references which we could add to this list, your input is welcomed and appreciated. Links in red provide a link to the full text. Blue links are mainly abstracts. AORN (Association of Operating Room Nurses). 1982. Recommended practices for traffic patterns in the surgical suite. Assoc. Oper. Room Nurs. J. 15(4):750-758. ASR (Academy of Surgical Research). 1989. Guidelines for training in surgical research in animals. J. Invest. Surg. 2:263-268.Ayliffe, G. A. J. 1991. Role of the environment of the operating suite in surgical wound infection. Rev. Int. Dis. 13(Suppl 10):5800-804. Bartley, J. M. 1993. Environmental control: Operating room air quality. Today's OR. Nurse 15(5):11-18. Belkin, N. J. 1992. Barrier materials. their influence on surgical wound infections. Assoc. Oper. Room Nurs. J. 55(6):1521-1528. Berg, J. 1993. Sterilization. Pp.124-129 in Textbook of Small Animal Surgery, 2nd ed., D. Slatter. ed. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders. Bradfield, J. F., T. R. Schachtman, R. M. McLaughlin, and E. K. Steffen. 1992. Behavioral and physiological effects of inapparent wound infection in rats. Lab. Anim. Sci. 42(6):572-578. Breazile, J. E. 1987. Physiologic basis and consequences of distress in animals. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 191(10):1212-1215. Brown, M. J. 1994. Aseptic surgery for rodents. Pp.67-72 in Rodents and Rabbits: Current Research Issues, S. M. Niemi. J.S. Venable. and H. N. Guttman. eds. Bethesda. Md.: Scientists Center for Animal Welfare . Brown, M. J., and J. C. Schofield. 1994. Perioperative care. Pp.79-88 in Essentials for Animal Research: A Primer for Research Personnel. B. T. Bennett. M. J. Brown, and J. C. Schofield, eds. Washington, D. C.: National Agricultural Library. Brown, M. J., P. T. Pearson, and F. N. Tomson. 1993. Guidelines for animalsurgery in research and teaching. Am. J. Vet. Res. 54(9):1544-1559. Chaffee, V. W. 1974. Surgery of laboratory animals. Pp.233-247 in Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science, Vol.1. E. C. Melby. Jr. and N. H. Altman. eds. Cleveland. Ohio: CRC Press Chamberlain, C. V., and E. Houang. 1984. Trial of the use of masks in gynecological operating theatre. Ann. R. Coil. Surg. 66(6):432-433. Cunliffe-Beamer, T. L. 1983. Biomethodology and surgical techniques. Pp.419-420 in The Mouse in Biomedical Research, Vol.111. Normative Biology. Immunology and Husbandry. H. L. Foster, J. D. Small, and J. C. Fox, eds. New York: Academic Press. Cunliffe-Beamer, T. L. 1990. Surgical Techniques. Pp.80-85 in Guidelines for the Well-Being of Rodents in Research. H. N. Guttman. ed. Bethesda. Md.: Scientists Center for Animal Welfare. Cunliffe-Beamer, T. L. 1993. Applying principles of aseptic surgery to rodents. AWIC Newsl. 4(2):3-6. Dardai, E., and J. E. Heavner. 1987. Respiratory and cardiovascular effects of halothane. isoflurane and enflurane delivered via a Jackson-Rees breathing system in temperature controlled and uncontrolled rats. Meth. Find. Exp. Clin. Pharmacol. 9(11):717-720. Drozdowicz, C. K., T. A. Bowman, M. L. Webb, and C. M. Lang. 1990. Effect of in-house transport on murine plasma corticosterone concentration and blood lymphocyte populations. Am. J. Vet. Res. 51:1841-1846. FBR (Foundation for Biomedical Research). 1987. Surgery: Protecting your animals and your study. Pp.19-27 in The Biomedical Investigator's Handbook for Researchers Using Animal Models. Washington, D.C.: Foundation for Biomedical Research. Hofmann, L. S.1979. Preoperative and operative patient management. Pp.14-22 in Small Animal Surgery, An Atlas of Operative Technique, W. E. Wingfield and C. A. Rawlings, eds. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders. Kagan, K. C. 1992a. Aseptic technique. Vet. Tech. 13(3):205-210. Kagan, K. C. 1992b. Care and sterilization of surgical equipment. Vet. Tech. 13(1):65-70. Landi, M. S., J. W. Kreider, C. M. Lang, and L. P. Bullock. 1982. Effects of shipping on the immune function in mice. Am. J. Vet. Res. 43:1654-1657. McWilliams, R. M. 1976. Divided responsibilities for operating room asepsis: The dilemma of technology. Med. Instrum. 10(6):300-301. Nicklas, W., V. Kraft, and B. Meyer. 1993. Contamination of transplantable tumors, cell lines, and monoclonal antibodies with rodent viruses. Lab. Anim. Sci. 43:296-299. Pereira, L. J., G.M. Lee, and K. J. Wade. 1990. The effect of surgical hand washing routines on the microbial counts of operating room nurses. Am. J. Inf. Control. 18(6):354-364. PHS (Public Health Service). 1996. Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 28 pp. LPL 99-158. Health Research Extension Act, 1985] Ritter, M. A., and P. Marmion. 1987. The exogenous sources and controls of microorganisms in the operating room. Orthopaedic Nursing 7(4):23-28. Rutala, W. A. 1990. APIC guideline for selection and use of disinfectants. Am. J. Inf. Control 18(2):99-117. Schofield, J. C. 1994. Principles of aseptic technique. Pp.59-77 in Essentials for Animal Research: A Primer for Research Personnel, B. T. Bennett. M. J. Brown, and J. C. Schofield, eds. Washington, D.C.: National Agricultural Library. Schonholtz, C. J.1976. Maintenance of aseptic barriers in the conventional operating room. J. Bone and Joint Surg. 58-A(4):439-445. Tuli, J. S., J. A. Smith, and D. B. Morton. 1995. Stress measurements in mice after transportation. Lab. Anim. 29:132-138. UFAW (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare). 1989. Surgical procedures. Pp.3-15 in Guidelines on the Care of Laboratory Animals and Their Use for Scientific Purposes III. London: Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. Wallace, M. E. 1976. Effect of stress due to deprivation and transport in different genotypes of house mouse. Lab. Anim. (London) 10(3):335-347. Waynforth, H. B. 1980. Experimental and Surgical Technique in the Rat. London: Academic Press. 104 pp. Waynforth, H. B. 1987. Standards of surgery for experimental animals. Pp.311-312 in Laboratory Animals: An Introduction for New Experimenters A. A. Tuffery. ed. Chichester: Wiley Interscience. Whyte, W. 1988. The role of clothing and drapes in the operating room. J. Hosp. Inf. 11(Suppl C):2-17. Wingfield, W. E. 1979. Surgical Principles. Pp.1-3 in Small Animal Surgery, An Atlas of Operative Techniques, W. E. Wingfield and C. A. Rawlings. eds. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders. Wolfie, T. L. 1985. Laboratory animal technicians: Their role in stress reduction and human-companion animal bonding. Vet. Clin. N. Am. Small Anim. Pract. 15(2):449-454. . Main Blog admin Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:21:01 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=63 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=62 Our workshop on the implantation of Alzet osmotic mini-pumps in mice at the University of Pennsylvanian was very successful. The workshop was sponsored by Alzet Corporation and I. Miller Optical Company. The first portion of the session was composed of a lecture/discussion, including a review of guidelines for survival rodent surgery including: principles of surgery and aseptic rodent techniques, tissue healing basics, proper tissue handling and dissection, surgical patient preparation, surgical patient monitoring, surgical personnel preparation, proper surgical instrument selection for Alzet mini-pump implantation, needle and suture material basics, and basic suture patterns and knots utilized in rodent surgery. The second portion of the workshop was a hands-on course consisting of two parts: 1) instruction on subcutaneous and intraperitoneal Alzet mini-pump implantation in culled mice, during which participants also learned how to close an incision with suture and metal clips, and 2) instruction on subcutaneous implantation of the Alzet mini-pumps on live mice. The participants, whose experience levels ranged from novice to expert rodent surgeons, included personnel from the laboratory animal science program, bioengineering, and physiology departments. From our discussion with participants, we learned that the portions of the lecture addressing the aseptic surgical technique and the effects of clinical and subclinical infection on both the animal and experiment results were the most useful. At the end of the session, all participants received a rodent surgery kit, a copy of Practical Guide to Rodent Osmotic Mini-pump Implantation and a certificate of completion. Below are testimonials from some of the workshop participants: This is the perfect workshop for laying out all the key practical starting points needed to do surgical experiments. Anthony C., Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania I enjoyed the hands-on portion. Also, viewing the slides in advance gave me a better understanding of procedures and type of equipment used. Aisha W., Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania The ability to learn the logistics of aseptic surgery and osmotic pump implantation was great, and then the ability to do the surgery was outstanding. Julia K., MLAS, Drexel University College of Medicine The workshop was highly informative with clear objectives. Examples and hands-on training allowed for goals to be met. I feel very comfortable performing the surgery for pump implantation. Thanks! Julie C., School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania This was a tremendous course for novices. The course thoroughly and efficiently covered the basic information and all hands-on surgery techniques. Andrew E., School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania This was a very informative workshop with a great overview of aseptic technique and osmotic pump placement. Robert D., School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Main Blog admin Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:09:40 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=62 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=60 Rodent surgery requires rodent-specific surgical instruments. There are several companies that distribute these instruments. Most of these companies sell general rodent surgery kits or kits for specific species, such as a mouse surgery kit or a rat surgery kit. Before purchasing, it is imperative to understand which surgical instruments are required for each surgical procedure. For example, a simple surgical kit will not be sufficient for most vascular procedures. Below are links to a few companies that we utilize or that have been recommended to our staff by other rodent surgeons. AgnTho's AB ASSI-Accurate Surgical & Scientific Instruments Corp. Aston Pharma, Ltd. Biomedical Research Instruments, Inc. Bioseb Braintree Scientific, Inc. Fine Science Tools, Inc. Cedar Ridge Medical, Inc. Fine Science Tools, Inc. George Tiemann Co. Harvard Apparatus, Inc. Inel-Medicinska Tehnika Kent Scientific Corp. Mopec, Inc. MWI Veterinary Supply Co. NLS Animal Health Richardson Instruments, Inc. Roboz Surgical Instrument Co., Inc. Stoelting Co. TW Medical Veterinary Supply Vet-Tech Solutions, Ltd. World Precision Instruments, Inc. Main Blog admin Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:44:22 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=60 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=59 VBI, in collaboration with University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR), is holding a workshop titled “Rodent Osmotic Minipump Implantation” at the University of Pennsylvania next Tuesday (January 20th). The description of the workshop is provided below. Unfortunately, at this time there are no more spots available, but please feel free to stop by and say hello if you are in the area. This workshop is sponsored by Alzet and IMiller. We look forward to seeing you there. This workshop will introduce students to osmotic mini-pump implantation in rodents. Prior surgical experience is not required to enroll in the workshop. The workshop will be composed of two phases. Phase one will include lecture as well as students performing exercises using an operating surgical microscope in order to develop their technical skills. The second phase will involve applying these skills when performing subcutaneous and intrabdominal implantation procedures. In the course of the workshop, several principles and techniques will be demonstrated to and practiced by students. Subcutaneous and intraperitoneal implantation of osmotic pumps in mice will be demonstrated. The workshop will also include a review of gross anatomy and aseptic surgical technique, osmotic mini-pump technology, and basic implantation principles. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to perform subcutaneous and intrabdominal implantations using stereomicroscopes. The training will include the proper selection, usage, and handling of applicable surgical instruments and equipment. By the end of this workshop, participants will be better able implement these techniques in order to plan and perform research experiments with their own rodent models. LOCATION: Rosenthal Building, MDL 11 (38th & Spruce St.) University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine DATE: January 20th, 2008 TIME: 9:00 to 5:00 PM We will also be holding a Rodent Colonoscopy workshop the following week, also at the University of Pennsylvania. This workshop will be sponsored by BioVision Technologies. Main Blog admin Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:45:39 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=59 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=58 Recently, a question was raised on one of the listservs regarding injection of small, minced tumors into the tibias of mice. We do not have experience in injecting minced tumors, but we do have experience with cell injections into tibias and have collected some interesting articles while putting together our protocol of this methodology for our Advanced Mouse Biomethodology workshop and course. One of most commonly cited techniques that we found was described by Kushida1: “The BMCs were collected from the femurs and tibias of B6 mice. The IBM injection was carried out as follows. The region from the inguen to the knee joint was shaved of hair with a razor and a 5-mm incision was made on the thigh. The knee was flexed to 90° and the proximal side of the tibia was drawn to the anterior. A 26-gauge needle was inserted into the joint surface of the tibia through the patellar tendon and then inserted into the bone marrow cavity. Using a microsyringe (50 mL; Hamilton, Reno, NV) containing the donor BMCs (3 3 107/30 mL), the donor BMCs were injected from the bone hole into the bone marrow cavity.” 1 Intrabone marrow injection is described by Castello2: “Injection of the BMCs or CB cells into the tibial shaft was performed through a 27-gauge needle percutaneously inserted into the tibia with the flexion of the host mouse’s right knee by a gentle but firm pressure. The correct position for the injection into the marrow cavity was reached by advancing the needle into the bone, until a sudden drop in the injection pressure was experienced with free flow of the 30 L of the cell suspension out of the needle into the bone marrow cavity.”2 Castello2 also compares the seeding efficiency of intravascular (IV) injection to that of intra-bone marrow (IBM) injections of bone marrow and concludes that the IBM method is 15 times more efficient than the IV method. Ikehara3 references intra-bone marrow Kushida. However, he also states that the injection of 1x107 BMCs/10 μL using a Hamilton syringe into the tibia is better [Note 1] than the injection of 3x107 BMCs/50 μL1, since the injection of a high concentration of bone marrow cells is necessary to ensure that donor bone marrow cells become trapped and grow inside the bone marrow cavity. One of the challenges with intra-bone marrow (IBM) injections is the leakage of cells into the blood circulation. Shi5 has described an IBM injection methodology utilizing collagen gel which leads to a significant increase in cell retention within the bone marrow. Here is the methodology: “…the area from the inguinal region to the knee joint was shaved. The tibia was gently drilled with a 26-gauge needle through the patellar tendon into the BM cavity. BMCs suspended in PBS or CG were aspirated into a microsyringe (50 μl; Ito, Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan, http://www.ito-ex.co.jp) and then kept at room temperature. The BMCs (105, 106, or 107 in 10 μl) were then injected into the BM cavity using the microsyringe.” 5 We also have a protocol for survival bone marrow (BM) collection from mice. This protocol is useful when you need to utilize the same mouse on multiple occasions. If anyone is interested in the details of this protocol, please send an email to szczepanb@vetbiotech.com. Obviously, intra-bone marrow injection methodology has been utilized in rat models as well. We refer to Guo’s5 description of this procedure: “BMCs (3×107 or 10×107 cells/60 µL) obtained from the femurs and tibias of donor F344 rats were injected intravenously (IV-BMT) or directly into the bone marrow cavity (IBM-BMT) of the left tibia of the recipient BN rats on day 0, and the cardiac allografts from F344 rats were implanted simultaneously. In terms of the IBM-BMT technique, the knee was flexed to 90 degrees and the proximal side of the tibia was drawn to the anterior. A 26-gauge needle was inserted into the joint surface of the tibia through the patellar tendon and then inserted into the bone cavity.” 5 Note 1 - Hamilton method4 “Intra-BM injection (IBMI) was carried out as reported previously with modifications.11 Briefly, after sterilization of the skin around the left knee joint, the knee was flexed to 90 degrees, and the proximal side of the tibia was drawn to the anterior. A 27-gauge needle was inserted into the joint surface of the tibia through the patellar tendon and then inserted into the BM cavity. Using a Hamilton microsyringe, the specified number of donor cells per 10 μL of α medium were carefully injected from the bone hole into the BM cavity.” 4 Kushida T, Inaba M, Hisha H, Ichioka N, Esumi T, Ogawa R, Iida H, Ikehara S. Intra-bone marrow injection of allogeneic bone marrow cells: a powerful new strategy for treatment of intractable autoimmune diseases in MRL/lpr mice. Blood. 2001 May 15;97(10):3292-9. Castello S, Podestà M, Menditto VG, Ibatici A, Pitto A, Figari O, Scarpati D, Magrassi L, Bacigalupo A, Piaggio G, Frassoni F. Intra-bone marrow injection of bone marrow and cord blood cells: an alternative way of transplantation associated with a higher seeding efficiency. Experimental Hematology. 2004 Aug;32(8):782-7. Ikehara S. A novel strategy for allogeneic stem cell transplantation: perfusion method plus intra-bone marrow injection of stem cells. Exp Hematology. 2003 Dec;31(12):1142-6 Wang J, Kimura T, Asada R, Harada S, Yokota S, Kawamoto Y, Fujimura Y, Tsuji T, Ikehara S, Sonoda Y. SCID-repopulating cell activity of human cord blood-derived CD34- cells assured by intra-bone marrow injection. Blood. 2003 Apr 15;101(8):2924-31. Epub 2002 Dec 12. Guo K, Inaba M, Li M, An J, Cui W, Song C, Wang J, Cui Y, Sakaguchi Y, Tsuda M, Omae M, Ando Y, Li Q, Wang X, Feng W, Ikehara S. Long-Term Donor-Specific Tolerance in Rat Cardiac Allografts by Intrabone Marrow Injection of Donor Bone Marrow Cells. Transplantation. 2008 Jan 15;85(1):93-101. Shi M, Adachi Y, Shigematsu A, Koike-Kiriyama N, Feng W, Yanai S, Yunze C, Lian ZX, Li J, Ikehara S. Intra-bone marrow injection of donor bone marrow cells suspended in collagen gel retains injected cells in bone marrow, resulting in rapid hemopoietic recovery in mice. Stem Cells. Sep;26(9):2211-6. Epub 2008 Jul 3. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:48:20 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=58 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=57 We mentioned in a previous blog that our online course, ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery,’ has been approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) committee for 5 Continuing Education Credits for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. We are also happy to announce that, after being presented to the Director of the Professional Development of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), this course meets the requirements for 5 AALAS Continuing Education Units (CEU). If you participate in the ‘interactive’ course, you should keep track of your participation hours and submit this number for your CEU. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:29:07 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=57 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=56 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) is happy to announce that the American Association of Veterinary State Boards RACE committee has reviewed and approved VBI’s online course, ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery,’ for 5 Continuing Education Credits for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:20:18 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=56 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=55 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute is dedicated to providing an environment that nurtures and promotes active, self-directed instruction through E-learning for the laboratory animal science community, and we understand that there are limited number of opportunities for Continuing Education credits for veterinarians and veterinary technicians within this field. Therefore, we are happy to announce that the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) committee has reviewed and approved the Veterinary Bioscience Institute to conduct continuing education courses and workshops, and VBI is now listed as a RACE-approved provider on the AAVSB website. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:12:40 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=55 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=54 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s faculty are all members of the local branch of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), the Delaware Valley Branch (DVB). Because of this relationship, the Veterinary Bioscience Institute is offering an Electronic Education Opportunity to all members of the Delaware Valley Branch by providing complimentary access to the ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery’ course. This course is designed for scientists, veterinary technicians, veterinarians, and technical support staff who wish to learn the basic principles of rodent macro- and micro-surgery. This course is extensive enough for a novice, but it also provides an excellent review for more experienced personnel. The information presented in the course will provide participants with the requisite knowledge required by regulatory agencies and the skills necessary to perform basic rodent surgery. An outline of the course including course outcomes and course modules can be viewed on the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s website. The full description of this opportunity can be found on the Delaware Valley Branch (DVB) website, within the DVB November newsletter, or you can view it below. Free E-learning for DVB members Electronic-learning (E-learning) has been increasingly promoted as an effective and efficient method of teaching. Research has shown that even surgical procedures taught in a virtual classroom improve and refine the surgical skills of new and experienced surgeons. Online training provides several advantages. It offers a single experience that accommodates various distinct learning styles, and it targets specific needs and learning preferences of an individual through tests tailored to individual learning styles. Online training is self-paced, allowing fast learners to bypass instruction that may seem redundant and novice learners to go at a slower pace. Online courses provide on-demand availability. The interactivity of modules engages and guides users through the training. The online training gives confidence to the students through immediate feedback and quick reference materials that are always available. It achieves this by providing consistent content delivery and access on a global scale. The course provides immediate certification upon course completion.. Additionally, web modules, unlike textbooks, can continually incorporate rapid advances in biomedical knowledge and technology without requiring students to continually purchase new textbooks. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI - www.vetbiotech.com) is an online, veterinarian-owned educational company dedicated to providing an environment that nurtures and promotes active, self-directed instruction through E-learning and mobile onsite consulting/training services. VBI specializes in the art and science of rodent experimental surgery while promoting the responsible use of animals. The Institute provides an online platform that encourages communication and interaction throughout the laboratory animal community. VBI is currently undergoing the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) process, which will be completed by the end of this year. At that time, all of VBI’s courses will be approved for Continuing Education credits for both veterinary technicians and veterinarians. As a member of the Delaware Valley Branch (DVB), VBI would like to provide access to our ‘Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery’ course to all DVB members at no charge. This course is designed for scientists, veterinary technicians, veterinarians, and technical support staff who wish to learn the basic principles of rodent surgery. This course is extensive enough for a novice, but also provides an excellent review for more experienced personnel. The information presented in the course will provide participants with the requisite knowledge required by regulatory agencies and the skills necessary to perform basic rodent surgery. Please email Szczepan Baran at szczepanb@vetbiotech.com if you would like access to this course. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:06:13 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=54 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=53 One of the laboratory animal community’s goals is improving blood collection techniques by making them less stressful to the animal and animal handler and making them less dependent on the handler’s technical expertise. A group from the University of Michigan published a description of their modified tail-clip blood collection technique in mice in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. During this technique, the distal 1 to 2 mm of the tail was clipped from female ICR mice between 22 to 25 g. The authors used a capillary pipette flushed with EDTA to collect two 20-μl samples from the bleeding end of the tail. Styptic powder (Kwik-stop, ARC Laboratories, Atlanta GA) was applied to the collection site immediately after collection. The authors also state that additional removal of the tail during repeated sample collections was not required. Instead, they removed the scab in order to collect additional samples. We have not had an opportunity to try this technique as of yet, so we are looking forward to comments from personnel who have utilized it. We were also wondering if it is beneficial to utilize styptic powder with Benzocaine (Oster Pawformance Styptic Powder) to prevent the stinging often associated with styptic powder. The article is titled “Evaluation of Saphenous Venipuncture and Modified Tail-clip Blood Collection in Mice.” Here is the abstract of the article: “The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 methods of blood collection in unanesthetized mice. The saphenous venipuncture method was compared with a modified tail-clip technique that requires minimal restraint. Mice were evaluated through behavioral observation and plasma corticosterone levels. The results showed that the 2 methods produced similar corticosterone responses and that the tail-clip method produced fewer behavioral reactions. In addition, the effects of saphenous venipuncture method appeared to be dependent on the handler’s technical expertise. When a series of 4 blood collections were performed over 1 wk, the 2 methods yielded similar corticosterone levels that did not increase over time. Some of the behavioral signs appeared to increase over the series of blood collections obtained by the saphenous venipuncture method. Serial complete blood counts showed that the tail vessels yielded higher total white blood cell, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts than did the saphenous vein. Neither method appeared to cause stress-associated changes in the leukogram after serial blood collection. Overall, the effects of modified tail-clip method were similar to those of the saphenous venipuncture method in unanesthetized mice.” Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:59:56 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=53 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=52 In the December issue of Tech Talk (Vol 13, No 6), a group at the University of Michigan described a novel method for rat restraint using a cloth. The title of the article is An alternative method of rat restraint. We are interested in comments regarding this alternative restraint technique, especially from personnel who have experience using it. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:55:14 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=52 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=51 We are excited to announce that the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s first manuscript has been accepted for publication by the ALN Magazine for the March 2009 issue. The article, “A Guide for Developing Effective Online Surgical Training Courses,” is a brief overview of the major steps involved in the development of an online course for surgical training. However, the described steps can also be utilized for the development of other courses, such as biomethodology. We look forward to your comments regarding this article once it is published. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:51:11 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=51 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=50 The topic of aseptic surgery in rodents has recently been receiving a lot of attention. For an example, just review the program at the recent meeting of the Academy of Surgical Research. In addition, a group from the National Human Genome Research Institute and the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare in Bethesda, Maryland recently published an article titled Techniques in Aseptic Rodent Surgery . The full text of this article is available at the NIH’s PubMed Central website. The supplemental material of the article includes a video of a gloving technique. Please find the abstract of the article below. TECHNIQUES IN ASEPTIC RODENT SURGERY Performing aseptic survival surgery in rodents can be challenging. This unit describes some basic principles to assist clinicians, researchers, and technicians in becoming proficient in performing aseptic rodent surgery. Main Blog admin Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:47:06 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=50 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=39 Below is a list of Presentations given during the Academy of Surgical Research Annual Meeting this year (2008). This is just to provide you with an idea of the variety of topics addressed during the meeting. These can also be found on the Academy of Surgical Research website. “The Principles of Surgical Research” Vince Mendenhall, D.V.M., PhD Director, Preclinical Surgical Services Wake Forest University Health Sciences “Medical Device Development: The Role of the Surgeon” Mark D. Johnson, MS Senior Study Director and Director of Surgery, MPI Research “Best Practices in the Development of Animal Models - From Concept to Clinical Practice” Jorge Garcia, D.V.M. Chief Scientific Officer, ISIS Services, LLC. “Best Practices in the Development of Animal Models - From Concept to Clinical Practice” Felix Vega V.M.D. Chief of Experimental Surgery and Medicine, ISIS Services, LLC “A novel alternative placement site and technique for totally implantable vascular access ports in nonhuman primates” Melanie Graham, MPH Associate Program Director, Preclinical Research, Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation, Department of Surgery University of Minnesota “Complications and Therapies: Coronary Artery Stenting” Dr. Zachary Neeb Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology Indiana University School of Medicine “Complications: Non- alcoholic Steatohepatitis” Dr. Naga Chalasani Division of Gastroenterology Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine “Therapies: Organ Transplantation:” Dr. Joseph A. Tector Division of Transplant Surgery Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine “Bariatric Surgery” Dr. Robert Considine, Division of Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine “Improved Techniques for Anesthesia and Cardiopulmonary Bypass during Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction on a Beating Heart in Young Sheep” Pam Broussard, DVM The International Heart Institute of Montana “High Resolution Cardiac Imaging in Mice” Catherine Theodoropoulos, PhD Manager, Scientific Applications VisualSonics “Aseptic Surgical Technique” Vince Mendenhall, D.V.M., PhD Director, Preclinical Surgical Services Wake Forest University Health Sciences “Tissue Handling – The Basics” Leslie Stoll, RVT, LAT SRS Charles River, Preclinical Nevada “Guidelines and Examples for Surgical Savvy Submissions” Leslie Stoll, RVT, LAT SRS Charles River Preclinical Nevada “Fundamentals of Surgical Writing” Luis Toledo-Pereyra, M.D. Professor of Surgery and Director of Research Michigan State University at Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Main Blog admin Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:14:57 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=39 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=38 Below is a list of Poster Presentations present during the Academy of Surgical Research Annual Meeting. This is just to provide you with an idea of the variety of topics addressed during the meeting. These can also be found on the Academy of Surgical Research website. “Ossabaw Miniature Swine Model for Vascular and Surgical Interventions” Dr. Michael Sturek Keynote Speaker Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine Animal Models for Duraplasty Studies-Dog versus swine, Vince Mendenhall, DVM, PhD, Wake Forest University Health Sciences Medical Center Boulevard Winston-Salem, NC Serial CSF Collection in Awake Rats –A Method for Biomarker & Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic analysis, Jeremy Wickens, Heather West, Jenny Horwood, Derek Winslow, Fidelma Atkinson, David Tattersall, Pfizer Sandwich Laboratories Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent Comparison of Surgisis®, Alloderm®, and Vicryl Woven Mesh® Grafts for Abdominal Wall Repair in an Animal Model, Robert D. Rice , MD, John W. Tsai, MD, David M. Parker, MD, Peter J. Armstrong, MD, Farhan S. Ayubi, DO Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Department of General Surgery The Development of an AmbulatoryContinuous Intravenous Infusion Method in the Nonhuman Primate, Elizabeth A. Lambert, Jeremy R. Hynick, John J. Setser, Teresa D. Morris, Walter R. Miller Jr., DVM, Christopher P. Chengelis, PhD, DABT, WIL Research Laboratories, LLC 5/6 Nephrectomy Comparison of Two Surgical Techniques in the CD-1 Mouse, Allison S. Parlapiano B.S., RLATG, VT, SRS, Christopher Loewrigkeit B.S., LATG, SRS, Dahai Xue, Dr. Denise Visco PhD, Richard Hajdu, Merck & Co Surgical Tracheal Stenting Models, M. Jawad Latif, MD, John N. Afthinos, MD, Cliff P. Connery, MD, Scott J. Belsley, M.D, Faiz Y. Bhora, MD Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY Effects of Metal Fragments on Extremity Nerve Injury after Microsurgical Repair, Darrell F. Barker MD, Dwight D Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA Comparison of Porcine Dermal Collagen (Permacol®) and Acellular Cadaveric Dermis (Alloderm®) as alternative to Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for Vascular Patch Repair in Common Carotid Arteriotomy, John W. Tsai, M.D., Farhan S. Ayubi, D.O., Robert Rice, M.D., Zhou Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., Peter Armstrong, M.D., Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Department of General Surgery A Blueprint for Creating a Safer Environment for Laboratory Animal Handlers Anesthetizing Rodents in Induction Chambers, Janet Hoff, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Ambulatory Continuous Intravenous Infusion Model for Pregnant Dutch Belted Rabbits, T. Gleason, T. Edwards, W. Miller, E. Sloter, D. Stump, C. Chengelis, WIL Research Laboratories, LLC, Ashland, OH. Main Blog admin Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:12:29 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=38 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=37 One of the important topics covered was that of rodent nutrition and the impact that surgical procedures have on food intake, metabolism, etc. This topic is commonly left unaddressed so it was refreshing to find out that during the Academy of Surgical Research Annual Meeting a whole session was dedicated to this topic. The following lectures were presented during this session: “The Critical Role of Nutrition in the Post – Operative Recovery of Rodents” Jaime Lecker, PhD Director, Nutrition and Food Science Research and Development, Bio-Serv “Surgery and Ruminants: Does nutrition matter?” Christina Thompson, PhD, Nutritionist - Technical Services, Purina Test Main Blog admin Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:10:42 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=37 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=35 Our trip to the Academy of Surgical Research Annual Meeting in Indianapolis was educational and entertaining. This was the first time we attended the Academyof Surgical Research meeting, and we plan to attend their meetings in the future. The meeting was full of useful information. Presentations ranged from “The Principles of Surgical Research” to “Therapies: Organ Transplantation” to “Surgical Training of Non Veterinarians in an Academic Institution”. One of the themes was that aseptic technique, knowing surgical anatomy and surgical techniques must be incorporated into performing any surgical procedure from rodent to non-human primates. It was reassuring to hear that values that we uphold and teach in our courses for basic principles of surgery are followed. Their importance many times is forgotten, so hearing that other trainers/surgeons still believe in these basics and encounter similar resistance to implementing them was inspiring. I had an opportunity to meet many new colleagues and learned about various surgical programs. We have initiated talks with several academic and biotechnology institutions which I hope will lead to affiliations and/or partnerships. We are excited about these opportunities because they will allow us to provide educational material developed by experts in the field, which is one of VBI’s main goals. Main Blog admin Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:51:24 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=35 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=34 Here are the guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery provided by NIH. These of course can also be located at http://oacu.od.nih.gov/ARAC/surguide.pdfGuidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery Scope: These guidelines apply to all surgical procedures performed on rodents at the NIH in which the animals are expected to recover from anesthesia.1Prior to performing any survival surgery techniques on rodents, an approved Animal Study Proposal must be in place with appropriately trained personnel and procedures available. Specific procedures to accomplish these guidelines can be obtained from your veterinarian. General: The following principles described in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals apply to rodent surgery. • Appropriate pre-operative and post-operative care of animals in accordance with established veterinary medical and nursing practices are required. • A dedicated surgical facility is not required. • All survival surgery will be performed by using aseptic procedures, including masks, sterile gloves, sterile instruments, and aseptic techniques The Guide states that it is important for research personnel to be appropriately qualified and trained in all procedures to ensure that good surgical technique is practiced. Good technique includes: • Asepsis, • Gentle tissue handling, • Minimal dissection of tissue, • Appropriate use of instruments, • Effective hemostasis, and • Correct use of suture materials and patterns. Investigators should work closely with their veterinarian to assure that the challenges of multiple surgeries, for example those that occur in the production of genetically engineered mice, are adequately addressed. Procedures: Personal Protective Equipment: 1. Clean jumpsuit or lab coat 2. Mask2 3. Surgical gloves3 4. Head cover. Pre-Operative: 1. Surgery should be conducted in a disinfected, uncluttered area that promotes asepsis during surgery (see Appendix, Table 1). 2. Prepare the animal by removing hair from the surgical site. Perform this procedure in an area separate from where the surgery is to be conducted. 1 A compact disk with depictions and expanded explanations of the methods recommended in these guidelines is available by sending a request to rodentcd@od.nih.gov . 2 Because of the necessity of mouth pipetting, masks are not worn during embryo transfer surgeries. 3 When using "tips-only" aseptic techniques, exam gloves may be used. See reference 5 for more information.Page 2 3. Prepare the surgical site(s) with an appropriate skin disinfectant (see Appendix, Table 2). 4. Surgeons should wash and dry their hands before aseptically donning sterile surgical gloves. Operative: 1. The animal must be maintained in a surgical plane of anesthesia throughout the procedure. 2. Begin surgery with sterile instruments and handle instruments aseptically (see Appendix, Table 3). 3. When using "tips-only" technique, the sterility of the instrument tips must be maintained throughout the procedure. 4. Instruments and gloves may be used for a series of similar surgeries provided they are maintained clean and disinfected between animals (see Appendix, Table 4). 5. Monitor and/or maintain the animal's vital signs. 6. Close surgical wounds using appropriate techniques and materials (see Appendix, Table 5). Post-Operative: /p> 11. Move the animal to a warm, dry area and monitor it during recovery. Return the animal to its routine housing only after it has fully recovered from anesthesia. 2. Provide analgesics as appropriate and approved in your Animal Study Proposal. 3. Generally, remove skin closures 10 to 14 days post-operatively. 4. Maintain a surgical record (e.g., annotate cage card with procedure and date). References: /p> 1. American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Position on Rodent Surgery. [http://www.aclam.org/pub_rodent_surgery.html]] 2. Animal Welfare, 9 CFR, Parts 1, 2, and 3. 3. Bradfield, JF, Schachtman, TR, McLaughlin, RM, and Steffen, EK. 1992. Behavioral and physiological effects of inapparent wound infection in rats. Lab Anim Sci 42(6): 572-578. 4. Brown, MJ, Pearson, PT, and Tomson, FN. 1993. Guidelines for animal surgery in research and teaching. Am J Vet Res. 54(9): 1544-1559. 5. Brown PA and Hoogstraten-Miller S. Principles of Aseptic Rodent Survival Surgery: Parts I & 2 In: Reuter J.D. and Suckow M.A. (Eds.), Laboratory Animal Medicine and Management. Ithaca: International Veterinary Information Service (www.ivis.org), 2004; Document No. B2514.0604. [http://www.ivis.org/advances/Reuter/brown1/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1/font>] and [http://www.ivis.org/advances/Reuter/brown2/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1]]. 6. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health Care Settings. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 25, 2002 / 51(RR16); 1-44. 7. Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Washington, DC: National Academy Press 1996; pp 556-70. [/font>http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/]] 8. utala, W.A. 1996. APIC guideline for selection and use of disinfectants. Am J Infect Control. 24:313-42. Approved by ARAC - 3/9/94. Reapproved - 5/8/96, 2/10/99, 11/14/01 Revised – 3/9/05 Page 3 Appendix Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery This appendix includes definitions, tables of information, and references as a resource for investigators. DEFINITIONS: ASEPTIC SURGICAL PROCEDURES: Surgery performed using procedures that limit microbial contamination so that significant infection or suppuration does not occur. MAJOR SURGERY: Any surgical intervention that penetrates and exposes a body cavity; any procedure that has the potential for producing permanent physical or physiological impairment; and/or any procedure associated with orthopedics or extensive tissue dissection or transection. MMINOR SURGERY: Any surgical intervention that neither penetrates and exposes a body cavity nor produces permanent impairment of physical or physiologic function. Examples are superficial vascular cut down, and percutaneous biopsy. STERILIZATION: The process whereby all viable microorganisms are eliminated or destroyed. The criterion of sterilization is the failure of organisms to grow if a growth supporting medium is supplied. /p>DISINFECTION: The chemical or physical process that involves the destruction of pathogenic organisms. All disinfectants are effective against vegetative forms of organisms, but not necessarily spores. Table 1. RECOMMENDED HARD SURFACE DISINFECTANTS (e.g., table tops, equipment) Always follow manufacturer's instructions for dilution and expiration periods. AGENT EXAMPLES * COMMENTS Alcohols 70% ethyl alcohol 85% isopropyl alcohol Contact time required is 15 minutes. Contaminated surfaces take longer to disinfect. Remove gross contamination before using. Inexpensive. Quaternary Ammonium Roccal®, Quatricide® Rapidly inactivated by organic matter. Compounds may support growth of gram negative bacteria. Chlorine Sodium hypochlorite (Clorox ® 10% solution) Chlorine dioxide (Clidox®, Alcide®, MB-10®) Corrosive. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Chlorine dioxide must be fresh; kills vegetative organisms within 3 minutes of contact. Glutaraldehydes Glutaraldehydes (Cidex®, Cetylcide®, Cide Wipes®) Rapidly disinfects surfaces. Phenolics Lysol®, TBQ® Less affected by organic material than other disinfectants. Chlorhexidine Nolvasan® , Hibiclens® Presence of blood does not interfere with activity. Rapidly bactericidal and persistent. Effective against many viruses. Main Blog admin Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:10:34 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=34 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=33 The intubation of rodents continues to be an obstacle for researchers. Kent Scientific Corporation just introduced a simple, reliable, complete system for intubation of rodents that makes rodent endotracheal intubation a more accessible technique for the scientists who need to intubate their animals for rodent surgery or any other purpose. Main Blog admin Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:22:59 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=33 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=32 We are commonly asked if NIH has specific guidelines for rodent surgery so here is the link to NIH's 'Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery'. You might also be interested in reviewing American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine's Position on Rodent Surgery. Main Blog admin Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:07:19 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=32 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=28 Out trip to the AFLAS Congress in Beijing was fantastic. We met many new colleagues and learned about the Asian laboratory animal community. We were also excited with the positive feedback we received regarding our 'Principles of Basic Rodent Surgery' workshop and our presentation titled 'Laboratory Animal Science E-learning: An answer for the future.' Asian laboratory animal community faces similar challenge as we do regarding rodent surgery training. We are looking forward to initiating collaborations with several institutions to find a global solution to this challenge. We also learned that many institutions are initiating projects to place their information on the web to provide easy access to their investigators and other participants including biomethodology and surgery. We hope that we can make this transition easier for our colleagues since we went through this process including development of an online learning management interface. Main Blog admin Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:04:43 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=28 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=26 If you did not have a chance to meet us at the GV-SOLAS meeting, you can meet us the AFLAS congress in Beijing, China next week. If you do not catch up with us in the hallways please stop by at our presentations: Presentation 1 Session: Main session When: Sunday September 28, 2008 17:00-17:30 Topic: Laboratory Animal Science E-learning: An answer for the future Presentation 2 Session: Session VII When: Monday September 29, 2008 Topic: Principles of Basic Rodent Surgery Workshop Upcoming conferences: You can also meet with the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) staff at the 2008 Academy of Surgical Research (ASR) Meeting and American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Annual Meeting. More information coming soon. Main Blog szczepanb Sat, 20 Sep 2008 20:22:35 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=26 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=25 Our ‘Rodent Surgical Web Based Learning’ presentation at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS) in Dresden, Germany was well received. There were several good questions regarding the development and implementation process of an online course. We had an opportunity to exchange ideas with other groups who are also developing online courses. It was a pleasure interacting with everyone there and learning about European animal research regulations as well as how training is performed there. We would like to thank the hosts and everyone else for such a warm welcome. Upcoming conferences: You can also meet with the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) staff at the 2008 Academy of Surgical Research (ASR) Meeting and American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Annual Meeting. More information coming soon. Main Blog szczepanb Sat, 20 Sep 2008 20:20:35 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=25 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=24 We are attending the 46th Annual Meeting of the Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS) and the 10th Advanced Training Course of the IGTp in Dresden, Germany. Keynote speakers for the meeting included Drs Andras Nagy and Kai Simons who addressed topics of mouse genetics and new drug targets in Alzheimer’s disease, respectively. This is a foremost animal experiments and laboratory animal scientific conference with respect to science in German-speaking countries with high attendance from the neighborhood countries. This meeting gives an opportunity for interaction and exchange between scientists from all disciplines. We are looking forward to giving our presentation titled ‘Rodent Surgical Web Based Learning’ tomorrow at 12:00 in conference room H03 at the Technische Universitat. Upcoming conferences: You can also meet with the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) staff at the 2008 Academy of Surgical Research (ASR) Meeting and American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) Annual Meeting. More information coming soon. Main Blog admin Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:49:52 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=24 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=23 Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s visit to the University of Pennsylvanian was very successful. It was nice catching up with friends and a pleasure meeting new personnel. We would like to thank all of the participants for beta testing VBI’s Basic Principles of Rodent Surgery course. We received good feedback which we already began to implement. Main Blog admin Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:56:07 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=23 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=22 We will be at the Veterinary School Library of the University of Pennsylvanian tomorrow (Tuesday September 9th) at noon to beta test one of the Veterinary Bioscience Institute’s rodent surgery courses. Please feel free to stop by and say hello. Please remember that you can also meet our staff at the following meetings this year; American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), Academy of Surgical, Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS), Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Association (AFLAS) and Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (CALAS). Main Blog admin Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:01:15 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=22 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=21 VBI would like to introduce two new courses / workshops which are being added to VBI’s onsite rodent surgery workshop / course repertoire; Basic Rat Biomethodologies and Basic Principles of ALZET Osmotic Pumps Implantation. You can review a full description of these and other available rodent surgery workshops at http://vetbiotech.com/courses.php?kind=Onsite. Please remember that you can also find out more about these workshops from our staff at the following meetings this year; American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), Academy of Surgical, Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS), Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Association (AFLAS) and Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (CALAS). Main Blog admin Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:51:17 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=21 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=20 VBI would like to introduce two new courses / workshops which are being added to VBI’s onsite rodent surgery course / workshop repertoire; Basic Mouse Biomethodologies and Basic Principles of Suturing. You can review a full description of these and other available rodent surgery workshops at http://vetbiotech.com/courses.php?kind=Onsite. Please remember that you can also find out more about these workshops from our staff at the following meetings this year; American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), Academy of Surgical, Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS), Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Association (AFLAS) and Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (CALAS). Main Blog admin Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:37:43 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=20 http://vetbiotech.com http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=19 The Veterinary Bioscience Institute will be presenting lectures at the following conferences in September. The Veterinary Bioscience Institute will be presenting a lecture titled ‘Rodent Surgical Web Based Learning’ on Tuesday September 16th 2008 a the 46th Annual Meeting of the Society of Laboratory Animal Science (GV-SOLAS) and also at the 10th Advanced Training Course of the IGTp in Dresden, Germany. We will also present a “Laboratory Animal Science E-learning: An answer for the future’ lecture and a “Basic Principles of Mouse Surgery” workshop during the 3rd Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Association (AFLAS) and the 8th Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (CALAS) Annual Meeting in Beijing, China. Upcoming conferences: You can also meet with the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) staff at the 2008 Academy of Surgical Research (ASR) Meeting and American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALSAL) Annual Meeting. More information coming soon. Main Blog admin Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:38:04 http://vetbiotech.com/blog.php?mybid=19 http://vetbiotech.com