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Small-animal intubation is often necessary during inhalation anesthesia to allow steady-state conditions for large operations and in vivo experiments in all fields of experimental surgery. In rats, placing an orotracheal tube is technically difficult primarily because of the small size of the subject and the lack of equipment specifically designed for this task. We describe a simple rat intubation technique in which the animal is suspended in dorsal recumbency on an inclined metal plate. The animal, anesthetized with ether, is fixed to a 70 degrees-inclined metal plate in a dorsal position by means of a Mersilene ribbon hooked around the upper incisors. This method of positioning the animal is the most important step in the intubation process and further facilitates the technique already described by other authors. A human otoscope was used as a laryngoscope, intubation was performed using the Seldinger technique, and a 14-gauge intravenous catheter served as an endotracheal tube. This inexpensive technique is quickly learned and can be used in any laboratory. Safe and reliable airway management can thus be achieved, permitting in vivo examinations and operations.

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Background: Effectiveness and feasibility of preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) in locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas are evaluated. Material and Methods: 29 eligible of 37 registered patients were treated. 3d-Conformal external radiotherapy was delivered with a 1.8-Gy single dose and a total dose of 50.4 Gy plus 5.4 Gy boost. Simultaneous chemotherapy consisted of 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C. Results: Among 27 completely treated patients, 16 (59%) underwent surgery, 6 of them being irresectable intraoperatively. Ten patients (37%) had clear resection margins at Whipple’s procedure. Eleven patients were not considered for surgery (7 still irresectable at restaging, 3 distant metastases, 1 refusal of surgery). Toxicity was predominantly hematological (grade 3: 30%, grade 4: 7%); furthermore, there was nausea/vomiting (grade 3: 20%, grade 4: 0%). No patient died perioperatively. The tumor-related overall survival rate was better for resected patients than for nonresected patients (50% vs. 6%, 2-year survival, p = 0.07), median overall survival was 9 months (median follow-up, 28 months). Conclusions: Neoadjuvant CRT without significant acute toxicity produced a resectability rate of 37% (all R0), which should be confirmed by randomized phase III studies.

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Tensiometry allows the surgeon to tailor his operation to the conditions that he finds during the operation.

Partial mesenteric ischemia is defined as an incomplete occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery resulting in acute abdominal pain, distended abdomen,and bowel hypomotility on auscultation. This disease can be acute or chronic and is caused by vascular occlusion or non-occlusive mechanisms. CT scan and ultrasound show a thickening of the ischemic bowel wall. On endoscopy, initially mucosal edema is observed which may proceed to necrosis. Therapy modalities depend upon the clinical findings: prevailing acute abdominal pain and peritonitis result in emergency laparotomy; prevailing cramping abdominal pain without clinical signs of peritonitis allows time for further diagnostic steps such as mesenteric angiography and interventional procedures. Laparoscopy should be performed in exceptional situations only.