Laboratory Animals > Volume 43, Number 4 > Pp. 344-349

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Original Articles

Percutaneous external jugular vein catheterization in piglets using a triangulation technique

W S Flournoy ¹  and S Mani ²

¹ Department of Veterinary Surgery, Division of Veterinary Medicine; ² Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular Pathology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA

Corresponding author: LTC (Dr) W Shannon Flournoy, Building 435, Pierce Road, Ft Shafter, HI 96858, USA. Email: william.s.flournoy{at}us.army.mil

Chronic jugular vein or central venous cannulation is routinely performed in human and animal patients for access to blood circulation. In mature swine, chronic catheter placement techniques have typically involved venous isolation via extensive cut-down, blunt dissection and manipulation of ventral neck tissues prior to catheter placement. More recently, guide-wire-assisted percutaneous techniques have become standard practice in human and veterinary medicine due to the minimization of soft tissue and vessel damages. Laboratory animal piglets are becoming more popular research models because of their immature immunological system, ease of handling and costs. However, external jugular veins are very difficult to catheterize in paediatric animals including freshly weaned piglets. The objective of this study was to develop a simple, safe and efficient method for external jugular vein cannulation in young piglets. In total, 20 piglets were anaesthetized and percutaneously catheterized with a guide-wire technique using palpable anatomical landmarks and triangulation. With this minimally invasive catheterization, it has allowed our veterinarians and veterinary technicians to quickly and easily obtain central venous access in piglets undergoing operative procedures.

Key Words: Piglet • percutaneous • external jugular vein • catheterization

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