GUIDELINES FOR SURVIVAL RODENT SURGERY Policy#: 10

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Laureen Conley
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1 GUIDELINES FOR SURVIVAL RODENT SURGERY Policy#: 10 IACUC Approval Date: The Laws: The Animal Welfare Act [9 CFR (code of Federal Regulations), Part 2, 2.31 (d)[1](ix)] states: "All survival surgery will be performed using surgical gloves, masks, sterile instruments and aseptic techniques... Non-major surgery and all surgery on rodents do not require a dedicated facility, but must be performed using aseptic technique." The Guide states: The relative susceptibility of rodents to surgical infection has been debated; available data suggest that subclinical infections can cause adverse physiologic and behavioral responses (Bradfield et al 1992; Cunliffe-Beamer 1990) that can affect both surgical success and research results. Post-operative infections in rodents can and do occur. Such infections, which may not be apparent on casual observation, cause distress to and can endanger the animal, as well as endanger the results of the study. Both the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (The Guide ) contain standards for surgical procedures and surgical facilities. The Guide states that "survival surgery on rodents does not require a special facility, but should be performed using sterile instruments, surgical gloves, and aseptic procedures. Training Professional and technical personnel and students who perform anesthesia and surgery should be appropriately trained to accomplish these tasks in a humane and scientifically acceptable manner. The Principal Investigator is responsible for assuring that research personnel receive appropriate training. The Vivarium staff is available to provide assistance with, or training in, aseptic technique and the proper administration of anesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia. Types of Surgery: Major (Surgery) A major surgery includes invasion of the cranial, sinus, abdominal or thoracic cavities. Any procedure that might leave the rodent with a permanent handicap whether physical or physiological would also be considered major surgery (i.e., amputation of a limb). All major surgeries require administration of analgesics unless the avoidance is scientifically justified and approved by the IACUC. Minor (Surgery) Minor survival surgery does not expose a body cavity and causes little or no physical impairment (the Guide, p 63). An example of a minor survival surgery would be placement of subcutaneous implants. 1

2 Subcutaneous Implants The number and size of subcutaneous implants should be the lowest number and smallest size as possible. The subcutaneous implants must not impede normal mobility and physiologic function (i.e., eating, defecation, urination and respiration) in the animal. Multiple, Major Survival Surgeries All efforts should be made to avoid multiple major survival surgery in animal studies. However, there are instances when investigators will have a scientific need for the performance of multiple major survival surgical procedures. Such procedures must be described in the protocol, scientifically justified, and approved by the IACUC. Pre-Operative: Surgical Facility A separate facility for rodent surgery is not required. The area in which the surgery is to be conduct must be clean, uncluttered and free from overhanging objects and chemicals. The area should be away from major traffic areas, doors and windows. The designated area should not be used for other activities during the surgical procedures. The area where surgery will take place must be disinfected prior to the surgical session (see Table 1). Devices or equipment (e.g. animal restraining devices, monitoring equipment, stereotaxic devices, etc.) must also be disinfected in order to reduce or potentially eliminate infectious organisms (see Table 2). Preparation of Surgical Instruments Instruments, implantable devices (catheters, osmotic pumps, telemetry) and suture material must be sterilized by using any of the methods listed in Table 2. The appropriate selection of suture material is essential. Characteristics and uses of different materials are listed in Table 5. Preparation of the Animal The fur must be removed from the surgical site; either by clipping, plucking or using a depilatory in an area separate from where the surgery is to be conducted. An area approximately 15% larger than the area of the incision should be prepared. Clean and aseptically prepare the surgical site by using an appropriate scrubbing technique (e.g. scrubbing in gradually enlarging circular pattern from the interior of the shaved area to the exterior) and an effective disinfectant (e.g. alternating Betadine or Nolvasan and alcohol scrubs three times, see Table 3) Minimize soaking the body of the rodent; this may lead to irreversible hypothermia and death. 2

3 The surgical area should be draped using either standard draping material, autoclaved paper towels or Steri-Drapes. It is recommended that animals be placed on a water re-circulating heating blanket or pads during surgery that to prevent hypothermia. It is recommended that ophthalmic ointment be placed in the anesthetized animals eyes to prevent drying of the cornea Withholding of food is not necessary in rodents unless specifically mandated by the protocol or surgical procedure. Preparation of the Surgeon The surgeon must wear a clean lab coat, head cover, mask (except embryo transfer surgery, because necessity of mouth pipetting) and sterile gloves. A sterile surgical gown is recommended for major or prolonged surgeries. The surgeon must scrub their hands before putting gloves on. Operative: The animal must be maintained in a surgical plane of anesthesia throughout the procedure. Check pedal reflexes every 5 minutes. Pedal reflexes are checked by gently pinching the animal's foot and determining whether the animal pulls or moves its foot back. If the animal has an elevated respiration rate or positive pedal reflex, supplement the anesthesia with one-half the initial dose, or place a mask or cone, with a gas anesthetic over the animal's face. Monitor the dosages carefully to avoid overdosing. It is recommended to infiltrate the surgical site with local anesthetic (e.g., Bupivicaine). Bupivicaine (Marcaine ) is a long-acting local anesthetic. Infiltration of the surgical site will provide local anesthesia for 8 to 12 hours post-operatively. Dosage is 0.01 ml/25 g mouse, or 0.1ml/250 g rat Purchase 0.25% Marcaine: Dilute of 1:10 in sterile water, saline or PBS would give a final dose of 0.1 ml/mouse or 1.0 ml/rat Begin surgery with sterile instruments (Table 3) and handle them aseptically. Instruments and gloves may be used for a series of similar surgeries provided they are maintained clean and disinfected (in 70% alcohol) between animals. Monitor and/or maintain the animal's vital signs: Mucous membrane color: Mucous membranes should remain pink. Breathing pattern: Breathing should be regular and within normal range. The exteriorizing of organs should be avoided if possible, but if required, should be placed on the sterile drape Close surgical wounds using appropriate techniques and materials (Table 5). Analgesics Requirement: 1. Analgesics: Animals should receive 24 hours of post-op analgesic agent coverage for the first 24 hours after all major surgeries. Analgesics should be continued if signs of pain observed. (See Table 6) 3

4 2. Analgesics should be given pre-emptively, so before incisions are made the plasma drug level has reached the effective concentration. Depending upon the drugs usually one hour before surgery. Animals will be provided post-operative analgesic agent coverage for the first 24 hours after surgery, then provided "as needed" (p.r.n.) for the next 48 hours. Post-Operative: Administer warmed (25C) sterile lactated ringer or 0.9 % saline solution 0.5 to 1 ml to mice and 3-5ml to rats subcutaneously or intraperitoneally. If animal is unable to eat and drink the daily maintenance dose of fluids is 100 ml/kg/day for rodents. The fluid should be administered every 8 hours until animal is able to eat and drink in its own. Move the animal to a warm, dry area. The cage should be warmed to no greater than 25 C (85 F). To prevent hyperthermia, animals must be provided a means to migrate away from the heat source once they are awake. Monitor the animal regularly (at least every 15 minutes if using injectable anesthetic or continuously for inhalation anesthetic) until animal is fully ambulatory. Return the animal to its routine housing only after it has fully recovered from anesthesia. Animal must be monitored at least twice daily until there are no signs of pain or infection. Provide analgesics until no sign of pain exist. Monitor incisions for swelling, exudate, pain or dehiscence Monitor catheters & devices Monitor for procedure-related complications such as organ failure, thrombosis, and ischemia Remove skin closures 10 to 14 days post-operatively. Use BLUE Cards: Maintain a surgical record and post-operative care. This includes type procedure, date of procedure, date and time of monitoring, all medications (dose and route) animal general appearance (sign of pain, dehydration, food and water intake). Rodents tend to cannibalize nonresponsive cagemates. Even if all of the rodents in a cage were anesthetized, some will be slower to recover than others, and they may be injured by more alert animals. Therefore, it is best to recover rodents in separate cages until they are fully ambulatory. If the animal appears ill or the surgical wound appears abnormal, contact the Vivarium Veterinary staff immediately. Clinical assessment of post-procedural pain (11) Mice Reduced grooming Reduced level of spontaneous activity Piloerection hunched posture Squint-eyes Pale eyes (if albino) Increased aggressiveness when handled Distance themselves from cage mates Reduced food/water intake Rats Reduced level of spontaneous activity Increased back arching, horizontal stretching, abdominal writhing, falling/staggering, poor gait and twitching Decreased grooming Porphyrin secretions (ocular/nares) Squint-eyed Pale eyes (if albino) Piloerection Reduced food and water intake increased aggressiveness when handled 4

5 References: 1. Animal Welfare Act Regulations Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.ch 3, p T.L Applying Principles of Aseptic Surgery to Rodents, AWIC Newsletter, 2: Rutala, W.A., APIC guidelines for selection and use of disinfectants Am. J. Infec. Cont. 18:(2): Flecknell, P Laboratory Animals Anesthesia. Academic press. New york 6. Flecknell, P. and Waterman-Pearson Pain Management in Animals. W.B. Saunders. New York. 7. NIH: Training in Survival Rodent surgery, CD-ROM. For a free copy of the CD-ROM send to rodentcd@od.nih.gov 8. NIH Intramural Research Program Guidelines for Survival Rodent Surgery NIH: Training in Basic Biomethodology for Laboratory Mice CD-ROM. For a free copy of the CD-ROM send to rodent-cd@mail.nih.gov 10. ACLAM Public Statement, Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Pain in Rodents and Rabbits ments_8_05.pdf (analgesic duration) 5

6 Appendices Table 1. RECOMMENDED HARD SURFACE DISINFECTANTS (e.g., table tops, equipment) Always follow manufacturer's instructions. Agent Examples Comments Alcohols 70% ethyl alcohol Contact time required is 15 minutes. 85% isopropyl alcohol Contaminated surfaces take longer to disinfect. Remove gross contamination before using. Inexpensive. Quaternary Ammonium Chlorine Aldehydes Roccal, Cetylcide Rapidly inactivated by organic matter. Compounds may support growth of gram negative bacteria. Sodium hypochlorite (Clorox 10% solution)chlorine dioxide (Clidox, Alcide ) Glutaraldehyde (Cidex, Cide Wipes ) Corrosive. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Chlorine dioxide must be fresh ( <14 Days old); kills vegetative organisms within 3 minutes of contact. Rapidly disinfects surfaces. Toxic. Exposure limits have been set by OSHA. 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. Table 2. SKIN DISINFECTANTS Alternating disinfectants is more effective than using a single agent. For instance, an iodophore scrub can be alternated 3 times with an alcohol, followed by a final soaking with a disinfectant solution. Alcohol, by itself, is not an adequate skin disinfectant. The evaporation of alcohol or alcohol-based products (e.g., Alcar, etc.) can induce hypothermia in small animals. Agent Examples Comments Iodophors Betadine, Prepodyne, Wescodyne Reduced activity in presence of organic matter. Wide range of microbicidal action. Works best in ph 6-7. Cholorhexidine Nolvasan, Presence of blood does not interfere with activity. 6

7 Hibiclens Rapidly bactericidal and persistent. Effective against many viruses. Excellent for use on skin. Table 3. RECOMMENDED INSTRUMENT STERILANTS Always follow manufacturer's instructions. Agent Examples Comments Physical: Steam sterilization (moist heat) Dry Heat Ionizing radiation Chemical: Gas sterilization Chlorine 1 Aldehydes 1 Autoclave Hot Bead Sterilizer Dry Chamber Gamma Radiation Ethylene Oxide Effectiveness dependent upon temperature, pressure and time (e.g., 121 o C for 15 min. vs. 131 o C for 3 min). Fast. Instruments must be cooled before contacting tissue. Requires special equipment. Requires 30% or greater relative humidity for effectiveness against spores. Gas is irritating to tissue; all materials require safe airing time. Chlorine Dioxide A minimum of 6 hours required for sterilization. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Must be freshly made ( <14 days ) Formaldehyde (6% sol.) Glutaraldehyde For all aldehydes: many hours required for sterilization. Corrosive and irritating. Consult safety representative on proper use. Glutaraldehyde is less irritating and less corrosive than formaldehyde Table 4. RECOMMENDED INSTRUMENT DISINFECTANTS Always follow manufacturer's instructions. Agent Examples Comments Alcohols Chlorine 1 70% ethyl alcohol 85% isopropyl alcohol Sodium hypochlorite (Clorox 10% solution) Chlorine dioxide (Clidox, Alcide ) Contact time required is 15 minutes. Contaminated surfaces take longer to disinfect. Remove gross contamination before using. Inexpensive. Corrosive. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Chlorine dioxide must be fresh ( <14 days old); kills vegetative organisms within 3 min. 7

8 Chlorhexidine Nolvasan, Presence of blood does not interfere with activity. Hibiclens Rapidly bactericidal and persistent. Effective against many viruses. 1 Instruments must be rinsed thoroughly with sterile water or saline to remove chemical sterilants before being used. Table 5. SUTURE SELECTION Suture Vicryl, Dexon PDS or Maxon Prolene Nylon Silk Characteristics and Frequent Uses Absorbable; days. Ligate or suture tissues where an absorbable suture is desirable. Absorbable; 6 months. Ligate or suture tissues especially where an absorbable suture and extended wound support is desirable Nonabsorbable, Inert. Nonabsorbable. Inert. General closure. Nonabsorbable. Excellent handling. Preferred for cardiovascular procedures. Tissue reactive and may wick microorganisms into the wound. Silk is not acceptable for suturing skin. Chromic Gut Absorbable. Versatile material. Stainless Steel Wound Nonabsorbable. Requires instrument for skin removal. Clips, Staples Table 6. LONG ACTING ANALGESIC DOSE RATES Opiod Analgesics Buprenorphine (Buprenex) NSAID Carprofen Mouse mg/kg SC, q 8-12 h 5 mg/kg SC, sid One Rimadyl (2mg) Tablet (Bio-serv), sid Rat mg/kg SC q 8-12 h 5 mg/kg SC, sid Three Rimadyl (2mg) tablet, sid Table 7. MOUSE INJECTABLE ANESTHETIC DOSE RATES Agent Dose Ketamine/xylazine Ketamine/Acepromazine Tribromoethanol (avertin) Pentobarbital mg/kg + 10 mg/kg IP 100 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg IP 240 mg/kg IP 50 mg/kg IP Table 8. RAT INJECTABLE ANESTHETIC DOSE RATES Agent Dose Ketamine/xylazine Ketamine/Acepromazine mg/kg + 10 mg/kg IP 75mg/kg mg/kg IP 8

9 Pentobarbital mg/kg IP Summary of Rodent Survival Surgery 1. Training: Personnel who perform anesthesia and surgery should be appropriately trained to accomplish these tasks in a humane and scientifically acceptable manner. 2. Aseptic Surgery: Clean lab coat, sterile instruments, surgical gloves, mask (except embryo transfer surgery), head cover, and aseptic procedures 3. Analgesics: Animals should receive 24 hours of post-op analgesic agent coverage for the first 24 hours after all major surgeries. Analgesics should be continued if signs of pain observed. 4. Local anesthetic: Infusion of local anesthetic at the incision site is highly recommended. 5. Post-op monitoring: Monitor animals at least every 15 minutes if using injectable anesthetic or continuously if using inhalation anesthetic until animal is fully ambulatory. Then, monitor twice a day for 2 days until no signs of pain and infection observed. Animals must be monitored at least 3 times a week until the end of the experiment. 6. Blue cards: Use blue cards for recording animal condition. See an example of Blue card recording below. Please leave the Blue cards in the Vivarium 7. Suture removal: All non-absorable wound closure material must be removed days post-op. 8. Euthanasia: Animal with uncorrectable post-op complications (e.g., persistent infection, organ failure) must be euthanized. Any exceptions to the above policy must have IACUC approval. 9

Dr. T. Cruise I04-001 Embryo transfer 6-9-06, 9:00 am Nicole 5-5555 6-9-06, 8:30am Normal pre-op Bup, 0.1mg/kg, SC 6-9-06, 7:30pm Lethargic, pain++, dehyd Bup, 0.1mg/kg, SC, 0.

10 Dr. T. Cruise I Embryo transfer , 9:00 am Nicole , 8:30am Normal pre-op Bup, 0.1mg/kg, SC , 7:30pm Lethargic, pain++, dehyd Bup, 0.1mg/kg, SC, 0.8 ml saline, SC , 7:30am mobile,pain+ Bup, 0.1mg/kg, SC , 6:00pm Alert, active,no pain none NK NK NK NK Alert, incision healed Staples removed NK Post-procedural card 10

Animal Studies Committee Policy Rodent Survival Surgery

Animal Studies Committee Policy Rodent Survival Surgery ASC Policy: To optimize animal health and well-being, survival surgery in rodents must be performed using sterile instruments, surgical gloves, masks