Videoendoscopic endotracheal intubation of the rat

Abstract

Mechanical ventilation is essential to the proper maintenance of anaesthesia in research animals undergoing laparoscopic research investigations with prolonged pneumoperitoneum. Ventilatory assistance is greatly aided by endotracheal intubation, which in rats can be a challenging procedure with a substantial risk of complication. The difficulty of the procedure arises primarily from the limited exposure and access to the laryngeal opening. We describe a simple and safe technique for endotracheal intubation in the rat that permits the introduction of a large-bore tube under direct visualization using equipment commonly found in the endosurgical research setting.