The endotracheal intubation of rabbits is difficult. The anesthetic risk is high because of the narrow difference between the effective and the lethal dose. We used a safe and simple method. Ten male animals received intramuscular injection of acepromazine, cetamine, and xylazine. Ten minutes later, an endotracheal canula was inserted trough a small cervical incision on the crico-tyroid membrane, to administrate oxigen and halothane. Thoracotomy was performed in the 5th. left intercostal space and a pulmonary biopsy too. The left lung collapsed and ventilation of the right lung remained for the next 30 minutes. Arterial blood pH was measured at the beginning of the procedure, after thoracotomy and after 30 minutes of selective ventilation. After 30 minutes, left pulmonary expantion was permited and thoracotomy closed without pneumotorax. As soon as the animals started breathing spontaneously the endotracheal canula was removed and crico-thyroid membrane closed with 7-0 polypropilene suture. Two weeks later the animals were submitted to euthanasia with a new lung biopsy and the trachea and laryng examined. During the procedure the animals had no important haemodinamics or gasometric disturbance. The results were good and brought us to the conclusion that it is a simple and effective method of anesthesia for thoracic surgery in rabbits.
Anesthesia; Respiratory system; Thoracotomy; Rabbits
