Pneumonectomy in the mouse: technique and perioperative management

Thoracic surgery in mice is challenging due to difficult intubation and ventilation, lack of intravenous access, and the risk of hemorrhage. We developed a rapid and safe technique for murine unilateral pneumonectomy in order to study compensatory lung growth. Under general anesthesia, 81 mice were intubated with an angiocatheter using a 2.7-mm, 0-degree endoscope. A left thoracotomy was performed. The lung was gently extracted from the thoracic cavity, ligated at the hilum, and resected. Postoperatively, warming lights and subcutaneous saline injections were used to ensure minimal morbidity. The survival rate for the scope-assisted intubation and pneumonectomy was 88%. Perioperative mortality was due to technical error. Minimal long-term morbidity was appreciated. This general operative technique and perioperative management may be applied to all types of murine thoracic procedures used for surgical research.