Rodent Surgery
Rodent Surgery - Related Videos
12:13
Considerations for Rodent Surgery
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2016
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals1 dictates that rodent survival surgery be performed aseptically. Aseptic technique utilizes specific practices that minimize the contamination of the surgical site, including patient preparation, surgeon preparation, sterilization of instruments and other supplies, and the use of a clean and controlled environment. Presurgical planning,...
10:29
Principles of Rodent Surgery for the New Surgeon
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Cited by 56 •
2011
Before attempting surgery, a new surgeon should have training in basic surgical techniques and concepts. This article will present basic surgical considerations with an emphasis on rodents.
00:08
Survivable Stereotaxic Surgery in Rodents
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Cited by 50 •
2008
The monitoring of extracellular neurotransmitter levels in distinct brain regions of freely moving animals offers insights on the link between neurotransmitter release and behavior. In vivo microdialysis coupled with electrochemical detection provides excellent anatomical and chemical resolution; and information on how basal neurotransmission is altered by pharmacological or physiological manipulations.
08:28
Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery
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2023
Stereotaxic (or stereotactic) surgery is a method used to manipulate the brain of living animals. This technique allows researchers to accurately target deep structures within the brain through the use of a stereotaxic atlas, which provides the 3D coordinates of each area with respect to anatomical landmarks on the skull. After the skull is exposed, anesthetized animals are mounted on a specialized instrument known as a stereotaxic frame, which enables the precise placement of experimental...
07:01
Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery and Animal Welfare Outcome Improvements for Behavioral Neuroscience
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Cited by 63 •
2012
Stereotaxic surgery on rodents allows for targeted administration of drugs or electrical stimulation and recordings in awake, behaving animals. In this video presentation we will demonstrate recent procedural refinements to this long-standing procedure that successfully improved survival rate and reduced post-surgical weight loss.
FAQs
Anesthesia permits controlled tissue manipulation while helping limit pain and physiological disruption. Monitoring during and after the procedure helps identify changes that could affect animal welfare or alter biological measurements. These controls matter because uncontrolled physiological responses may introduce variability, making it more difficult to distinguish effects caused by the experimental intervention from effects caused by the surgery itself.
Aseptic technique reduces the risk that microorganisms will enter tissues during incision or manipulation. This supports wound healing and helps prevent infection from becoming an unintended experimental variable. By controlling contamination, investigators can better attribute observed biological responses to the planned procedure, disease model, transplantation, or therapeutic intervention rather than to avoidable complications.
Standardized technique makes important aspects of surgery more consistent across animals, procedures, and investigators. Consistency can reduce variation in tissue handling, wound closure, monitoring, and recovery, strengthening experimental reproducibility. It also supports animal welfare by establishing a repeatable approach for limiting pain, infection, and unnecessary physiological disturbance throughout the surgical process.
A typical workflow begins with preparation for anesthesia and aseptic surgery, followed by a planned tissue incision or other manipulation. The wound is then closed, and the animal receives monitoring and post-operative care. Keeping these stages organized helps maintain procedural control, supports recovery, and reduces the chance that inconsistent handling will compromise biological observations.
Researchers apply surgical procedures when biological questions require access to tissues, organs, or physiological systems that cannot be examined adequately without intervention. The approach supports investigations of organ function, nervous-system activity, transplantation, disease models, and therapeutic interventions. Its value depends on matching the surgical design to the biological question while controlling pain, infection, and other sources of disruption.
Carefully conducted procedures can provide interpretable information about biological responses to tissue manipulation, disease conditions, transplantation, or treatment. Reliable interpretation requires attention to both the intended intervention and the effects of surgery itself. Standardized methods, appropriate monitoring, and post-operative care improve reproducibility, animal welfare, and confidence that measured outcomes reflect the research question.