General Surgical Principles
Survival surgery on rodents is performed using sterile instruments and aseptic technique. Instruments can be sterilized by the use of a steam autoclave, appropriate gas sterilization, or approved liquid sterilants, i.e. chlorhexidine gluconate. In addition, a glass bead sterilizer is utilized to maintain sterility of the instruments between surgeries or within a single surgical procedure. The use of a single set of sterilized instruments is permitted without re-sterilization between each animal; however, the instruments must be soaked in a disinfectant bath between surgeries and rinsed with sterile water prior to use.
Rodent surgery is conducted in a space that is temporarily dedicated to the surgery at the time it is being conducted. No other activities are on-going in the area where the surgery is being performed. This area is sanitized prior to use for surgery and between animals as necessary. Multiple surgeries are permitted, provided they are scientifically justified and related components of a surgical model requiring more than one major surgical procedure in the same animal are approved by the IACUC, e.g., 5/6 nephrectomy.
