Delivery and scavenging system for small animal inhalational anesthesia.
BACKGROUND
Inhalational agents have been widely used for anesthesia in laboratory animals. However, the safe use of inhalational agents in small laboratory animals has been limited by the lack of a suitable and effective scavenging system for the removal of waste anesthetic gases. The aim of the present study is to develop an anesthetic system that can be manufactured using common household and laboratory items.


METHODS
An anesthetic system was designed for rats weighing from 300 to 350 g. A face mask for the rat was made by cutting off the distal part of a 50-ml centrifuge tube. A scavenging hood was made from a transparent plastic food storage box. Exhaust of anesthetic gases from the scavenger hood was facilitated by fitting an outlet connected to a pump. Four experienced researchers or technicians tested the scavenger hood.


RESULTS
In 79.2% of the trials the participants could smell halothane when the pump from the scavenger system was not operational. However, when the pump was switched on, halothane was detected only 16.7% of the time (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
We have developed a simple and effective method of delivering inhalational anesthesia to small laboratory animals and of removing waste anesthetic gases.
Li
W
W
Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Tse
J Y
JY
James
A E
AE
Lik-Wang
L
L
Chi-Kwan
Y
Y
Man-Po
C
C
Chung
S C
SC
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D001824:Body Constitution; D015920:Gas Scavengers; D006221:Halothane; D007530:Isoflurane; D008397:Masks; D051381:Rats
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane; D006221:Halothane