Permanent intravenous access in experimental surgery – our experience

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Animal Models in Research

Background:

• Pigs in surgical experiments often require permanent intravenous access for procedures like blood collection.
• Evaluating the efficacy and safety of implanted vascular access ports (VAP) is crucial for animal welfare and experimental integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the patency and complication rates of vascular access ports (VAP) implanted in pigs undergoing various surgical experiments.
• To determine the overall suitability of VAPs as a method for permanent intravenous access in this animal model.

Main Methods:

• Vascular access ports (VAP) were surgically implanted via the external jugular vein in 211 pigs across seven distinct experimental groups.
• A retrospective evaluation of all documented complications associated with the VAP implantation and use was conducted.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of pigs (74.4%) experienced no complications with their VAPs.
• Minor complications included localized edema (5.7%) and seroma (1.4%).
• More severe complications, such as abscesses (12.3%) and functional loss, occurred but did not necessitate animal exclusion or VAP removal.

Conclusions:

• Vascular access ports (VAP) are a suitable and safe option for establishing permanent intravenous access in pigs used in surgical research.
• The use of VAPs can effectively reduce animal stress post-surgery and contribute to a decrease in the overall number of animals required for experiments.