Video-assisted orotracheal intubation in mice.
Orotracheal intubation in mice is a complicated technique because of the peculiar oropharyngeal anatomy and the difficulty in visualizing the laryngis aditus. Here we report a new and simple method for rapid endotracheal intubation by using a small bore, straight fibre-optic arthroscope. Under endoscope-assisted visualization of the laryngis aditus, a polyethylene cannula, inserted on a guide-wire in order to facilitate the introduction of the tip across the vocal cords, was advanced in the trachea. The success rate of intubation was 100%. We were also able to re-intubate the mice 4 and 8 weeks later without any major complications. We conclude that this method can be easily and safely used for studies where controlled pulmonary ventilation is necessary.
Vergari
Alessandro
A
Istituto di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Polito
Angelo
A
Musumeci
Marco
M
Palazzesi
Sergio
S
Marano
Giuseppe
G
D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D020679:Arthroscopes; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL