Apparatus for long-term ventricular access in the awake canine

An apparatus is described that permits lateral ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to be sampled or an infusion to be performed into the ventricular system in the awake canine. The device has been used in 25 dogs. CSF was sampled, and experiments involving infusions into the lateral ventricle were performed over a 6- to 24-mo period. The maximum frequency of ventricular cannulation using the apparatus was once per week. Complications occurred in 10 dogs, all of which were successfully treated, permitting experiments to continue. Three fatal complications included meningitis in one animal at 24 mo and seizures in two animals, causing death at 12 and 18 mo. Administration of peptides, bombesin, and somatostatin into the ventricular system was followed by prompt rises in bombesin and somatostatin radioimmunoactivity in the CSF. There were no parallel increases of these peptides in the peripheral blood levels up to 2 h after infusion. Peptides of this molecular weight infused with this apparatus do not seem to leak into peripheral blood. The apparatus permits repeated ventricular cannulation in the awake canine for sampling of CSF and administration of biological substances to determine specific central nervous system action.