An inexpensive surgical headholder for the rat

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Surgical Instrumentation
• Laboratory Animal Science

Background:

• Surgical procedures often require precise head fixation in laboratory animals.
• Commercially available headholders can be expensive and complex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and utility of a novel, cost-effective surgical headholder for rats.
• To provide an easily constructible alternative to existing animal head fixation devices.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a standard screw-type tubing clamp.
• Integration of the clamp with a base plate for skull fixation.
• Securing the rat's hard palate to the modified clamp.

Main Results:

• The headholder was successfully constructed with readily available materials.
• The device provided rigid and stable fixation of the rat skull.
• It proved to be a satisfactory alternative to commercial devices in surgical settings.

Conclusions:

• A low-cost, easily fabricated surgical headholder for rats has been developed.
• This device meets the need for secure skull fixation in various surgical procedures.
• It offers a practical and economical solution for research laboratories.