Share thisAccurate blood collection times are the cornerstone for reliable and repeatable study data. Our goal was to develop a ventral tail artery catheterization procedure that permitted obtaining multiple arterial blood samples from a rat immediately following intravenous (IV) administration via the lateral tail vein. Previously, blood samples at very early time-points were collected via the ventral tail artery using an individual needle and syringe at each time-point. However, this method was time consuming and the physiological responses of the rat while under anesthetic prevented the accurate collection of multiple successive blood samples. Despite numerous references of the use of a catheter for arterial blood collection, a detailed, in-depth description of ventral tail artery catheterization could not be found. Therefore, a non-invasive technique was developed to seat a catheter in the ventral tail artery immediately prior to IV injection via the lateral tail vein. This enabled collection of multiple rapid successive blood samples with minimal stress to the animals. Details of the ventral tail artery catheterization procedure as well as possible limitations associated with the technique are presented.
Introduction
Blood is most commonly collected from rats using a needle and syringe or surgically (e.g., cannulation or catheterization).
Needle and Syringe System
- Advantage: Minimal use of anesthetic. Well suited for collection of single blood samples.
- Disadvantage: Inefficient for collection of multiple samples (i.e., time).
Surgical Preparations
- Advantage:Well suited for collection of multiple samples.
- Disadvantages: Requires a sterile field and extended anesthetic periods cause fluctuations in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration.
We have developed a ventral tail artery (VTA) catheterization method to permit multiple arterial blood samples to be collected from a rat immediately following intravenous (IV) administration via the lateral tail vein.
Materials
- Anesthetic chamber
- Isoflurane vaporizer
- Nose cone
- Scavenging system
- Warm water bottle, approx. 55-60 ºC
- Phosphate buffered saline (PBS; Sigma, St. Louis, USA) and/or sodium heparin (5U/mL; Sigma)
- Isopropyl alcohol
- 2x2 gauze, sterile
- Sterile needle, 18 or 20G
- Sterile 0.56” 24G catheters
- Sterile injection cap
- Flexible adhesive tape
