A new method for the long-term collection of the bile from the unrestrained rabbit

A method for the long term bile collection of the unrestrained rabbit was developed. A steel needle was tunneled subcutaneously from the dorsum of the neck to the abdomen of the animal. A catheter was threaded through this needle from the dorsum and brought out below the abdomen. The catheter was introduced into the common bile duct and the tip on the dorsum was passed through a steel protective coil which was attached to the dorsal skin. This method allows the animal to move freely in the metabolic cage. The bile of the unrestrained rabbit weighing 3.7 kg was collected for 120 hr at 8.9-10.2 ml per hour of the output rate.