A minimally invasive catheterization of the external jugular vein in suckling piglets using ultrasound guidance.

Hauteclaire Furbeyre,Etienne Labussiere

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0241444

Abstract

There is a growing interest for minimally invasive surgical procedures to improve experimental animal welfare. Minimally invasive catheterization procedures in pigs have been already developed using Seldinger technique but reproducibility is low, especially in young pigs. A novel method for a minimally invasive catheterization of external jugular vein was evaluated in suckling piglets of 21 days of age. Growth performance and haptoglobin concentration in plasma were measured throughout a four-week study in a group of seven catheterized piglets and a group of seven non-catheterized piglets. Catheterization was performed using Seldinger technique under continuous ultrasound monitoring for vein detection and needle insertion. The surgical procedure was quick and showed a great reproducibility. All catheters remained functional during the first week after catheterization. Catheterization in piglets did not significantly affect body weight (BW) and feed intake during four weeks after the surgical intervention compared to non-catheterized piglets (P > 0.10). Haptoglobin concentration in plasma was greater in catheterized piglets compared with non-catheterized piglets, with a significant increase over two weeks after catheter insertion (P < 0.05), suggesting the development of a chronic inflammation in catheterized piglets. This method can be easily performed in piglets with minimal effect on growth and feeding behaviour. Transposition to heavier pigs should be considered.

Highlights

Venous catheterization is often performed in pigs for biomedical or nutritional research
Once the surgeon familiarised with the equipment, catheter implantation using ultrasound guidance was easy to perform
We present a novel method for the percutaneous insertion of an external jugular venous catheter using ultrasound guidance in suckling piglets weighing around seven kilograms

Summary

Introduction

Venous catheterization is often performed in pigs for biomedical or nutritional research. Venous catheters allow repetitive blood samplings or intravenous administration of drugs or metabolic markers with minimal contention or stress for animals. Minimally invasive catheterization can be performed in peripheral veins such as auricular vein, but are not suitable for long-term experiments [1]. Long-term experiments often refer to invasive surgical procedures to get access to the central venous system [1]. The latter needs a relatively long time for recovery, the use of perioperative drugs to prevent pain and inflammation caused by tissue trauma, and most of the time antibiotic administration to prevent from bacterial contamination and septicaemia. There is a growing interest for minimally invasive surgical procedures to 1. improve experimental animal welfare and 2. reduce biases induced by surgery

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