Development of a novel animal burn model using radiant heat in rats and swine.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to develop a novel animal model of burns in rats and pigs.


METHODS
The model uses heat that is delivered via a radiant heater with an opening of 5 cm by 5 cm, set at 400 degrees C, for 20 seconds. An advantage of this model is that the heating source does not come into direct contact with the animal, and the heat dispersion surrounding its center is very constant. The device was evaluated in 40 rats and seven pigs. With rats, three to four burns were created on each rat, resulting in a burn covering a total body surface area of 30% to 50%. In pigs, 16 burns were created on each animal.


RESULTS
In rats, infliction of burns resulted in mortality rates of 0%-50% depending on the size of the burns and the rats. In pigs, the burns reepithelialized within approximately 3 weeks and resulted in hourglass contracted scars in two of three burns within 1 month.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors describe a novel animal burn model that utilizes radiant heat to create consistent burns that maximizes safety to the investigators and animals.
Gurfinkel
Reuven
R
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. jaba1234@gmail.com
Singer
Adam J
AJ
Cagnano
Emanuela
E
Rosenberg
Lior
L
D000818:Animals; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002056:Burns / Q000401:mortality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051381:Rats; D013552:Swine