Use of a polypropylene mesh in fixing a chronic intracerebroventricular cannula

Surgical implantation of an intracerebroventricular cannula allows investigators to determine the effects of central administration of compounds on physiological/pathological events taking place in the periphery. Attempts to examine the influence of repeated, chronic drug administration on gastrointestinal function have been hampered by the tendency of cannulae to become dislodged and lost during the course of such studies. We describe herein the insertion of surgical polypropylene mesh between the skull and the fixative during surgical implantation of an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) cannula. This inexpensive addition to a standard surgical procedure extends the period of time during which the cannula remains viable for i.c.v. drug administration. Extending the active life of the cannula, in turn, allows the investigator to reduce the number of animals used.