Physiological Assessment in Stroke Research - Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments - page 74

Technique
Appropriately anesthetize the animals

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Place catheters (PE 10 tubing for mice and PE 50 tubing for

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rats) in the femoral artery for arterial pressure measurements
and in the femoral vein for blood sampling and infusions
Tunnel catheters subcutaneously and exteriorize through a

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spring which can be attached to the back of the animal and
eventually to a swivel device at the cage top
Give animals 5 days to recover before collecting any measure-

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ment and check continuously for signs of distress, pain, or
infection at the catheter site
Arterial pressure is measured with a pressure transducer and

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amplifi ed. Data is collected and displayed on a computer
program

2.3. Radiotelemetry

Radiotelemetry offers a direct approach to measure blood pressure
as well as other physiologic parameters like temperature in a con-
scious and freely moving animal. This technique has been validated
( 21 ) and measurements correlate well with other direct methods.
This approach offers the additional benefi t of overcoming the
effects of anesthetics and continued stress induced by restricting
movement in order to maintain externalized catheters.
Radiotelemetry does require microsurgical skills and have a small
risk of morbidity associated with surgery as well as the continued
presence of a foreign object retained within the animal. For more
detailed technical descriptions of this technique, please refer to
refs. ( 26 ) and ( 27 ).
Technique
Appropriately anesthetize the animals

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Advance the catheter of a telemetric pressure transducer to the

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aortic arch through the common carotid artery
Secure the transmitter in the abdominal cavity

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Give animals 5 days to recover before any measurement and

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check continuously for signs of distress, pain, or infection
Place receiver close to the animal cages

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Measurements are collected and displayed using specialized

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receivers and software as determined by the manufacturer

3. Temperature
Measurement

The regulation of body temperature in experimental stroke models
is necessary to limit the neurologically damaging effects of
hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is common after stroke and worsens