Isoflurane and sevoflurane provide equally effective anaesthesia in laboratory mice

Abstract

Isoflurane is currently the most common volatile anaesthetic used in laboratory mice, whereas in human medicine the more modern sevoflurane is often used for inhalation anaesthesia. This study aimed to characterize and compare the clinical properties of both anaesthetics for inhalation anaesthesia in mice. In an approach mirroring routine laboratory conditions (spontaneous breathing, gas supply via nose mask, preventing hypothermia by a warming mat) a 50 min anaesthesia was performed. Anaesthetics were administered in oxygen as carrier gas at standardized dosages of 1.5 minimum alveolar concentrations, which was 2.8% for isoflurane and 4.9% for sevoflurane. Both induction and recovery from anaesthesia proceeded quickly, within 1-2 min. During anaesthesia, all reflex testing was negative and no serious impairment of vital functions was found; all animals survived. The most prominent side-effect during anaesthesia was respiratory depression with hypercapnia, acidosis and a marked decrease in respiration rate. Under anaesthesia, heart rate and core body temperature remained within the normal range, but were significantly increased for 12 h after anaesthesia. Locomotor activity, daily food and water consumption and body weight progression showed no abnormalities after anaesthesia. No significant difference was found between the two anaesthetics. In conclusion, isoflurane and sevoflurane provided an equally reliable anaesthesia in laboratory mice.

Lung volume quantified by MRI reflects extracellular-matrix deposition and altered pulmonary function in bleomycin models of fibrosis: effects of SOM230

“…1D). Isoflurane anesthesia leads to respiratory depression in small rodents (8). Increasing concentrations produce a progressive decrease in tidal volume and response to increases in arterial carbon dioxide concentration (32).…”

“…The dose of SOM230-LAR was chosen based on earlier experience in other models (44). MRI acquisitions were performed at baseline and at days 8,14, and 21 after saline/ bleomycin challenge.…”

Dose-Dependent Influence of Sevoflurane Anesthesia on Neuronal Survival and Cognitive Outcome After Transient Forebrain Ischemia in Sprague-Dawley Rats

“…At this point, motor activity did not seem to be different between groups. We cannot rule out that body temperature may have been different between groups at later time point, because inhalational anesthetics may affect body temperature for up to 12 h post administration [40].…”

Implantation of Radiotelemetry Transmitters Yielding Data on ECG, Heart Rate, Core Body Temperature and Activity in Free-moving Laboratory Mice

“…However, obtaining reliable ECG curves as well as physiological data such as core body temperature in mice can be difficult using conventional measurement techniques, which require connecting sensors and lead wires to a restrained, tethered, or even anaesthetized animal. Data obtained in this fashion must be interpreted with caution, as it is well known that restraining and anesthesia can have a major artifactual influence on physiological parameters 1,2 .…”