A chronic arterial catheter and low compliance system for recording blood pressure and heart rate from the rat.
A procedure for cannula construction, surgical implantation, and utilization is presented for recording arterial blood pressure and heart rate from the renal artery of unanesthetized mobile rats. The method involves unilateral nephrectomy, but the animals recover quickly and remain in excellent health. The cannula requies minimal maintenance; it has been used in cardiovascular experiments to make multiple periodic arterial blood pressure recordings. Patency for 2 mo or longer is common.
D000818:Animals; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats / Q000502:physiology*; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors