title: Inexpensive continuous-infusion swivel: towards more physiological measurements.
abstract: A cheap, simple and fast procedure of building an infusion swivel is described for both short- and long-term experiments in rats. To assemble the swivel, plastic laboratory syringe elements, needles and a three-way stopcock are used. The swivel avoids cannula-kinking and permits animals free movement inside the cage. In addition, the gadget presented is inexpensive enough to make it disposable. Further advantages of the self-made infusion swivel depend on its disposability, it is time-saving, simplifies blood sampling or administration of drugs and prevents contamination, when using radiolabelled products. The haemodynamics and metabolism of rats subjected to restraint stress or ether-anaesthetized rats significantly differ from those of conscious freely moving animals. Whereas restraint stress provoked a more pronounced increase of blood pressure and heart rate, ether anaesthesia induced a 19% rise in serum glucose. Thus, the device described in this study provides more physiological experimental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frübeck
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose