Development of a high-performance anesthesia ventilator for research in small animals

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Small animal models are crucial for basic research and disease modeling.
• Safe and gentle artificial ventilation is essential for prolonged experiments in animal models.
• Current ventilation methods may pose risks during extended procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a high-performance anesthesia ventilator specifically for small animals.
• To ensure safe and effective artificial ventilation during experimental procedures.
• To improve anesthetic management and animal recovery.

Main Methods:

• Development of a pressure-controlled ventilator with assisted breathing and PEEP.
• Integration of deep breath modulation for enhanced ventilation.
• Monitoring of acid-base balance and arterial blood gases throughout experiments.

Main Results:

• The ventilator demonstrated effective maintenance of blood oxygen (pO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2) levels.
• Average pO2 values remained high (e.g., 373-440 mmHg) over 6 hours.
• Average pCO2 levels were maintained within normal physiological ranges (34-40 mmHg).

Conclusions:

• The developed anesthesia ventilator is reliable and high-performance.
• It facilitates the recovery of spontaneous respiration upon animal arousal.
• The device preserves normal blood gas values and prevents lung damage.