A rapid and non-surgical procedure for jugular catheterization of pigs

A rapid and non-surgical method for jugular catheterization in pigs was set up in 30 piglets of 6.2 kg, 23 pigs of 46 kg and 84 kg and two lactating multiparous sows. The animal was restrained on a V-shaped table (piglets) or with a rope around the mandible (slaughter pigs and sows). The vein was located with the Vacutainer system and a wire guide was inserted into the Vacutainer needle up to the vein lumen. When the needle was removed, the catheter was inserted over the wire guide and advanced until it penetrated the skin and thereafter, the vein wall. The catheter was fixed outside by a large tape and coiled inside a patch just behind the ears. The technique utilizes readily available material and is no more risky for the animal than a single blood sampling. Moreover, it can be performed within 15 to 20 min (including animal restraint) within pens. This new approach might have important implications not only for research purposes by facilitating repeated blood samplings but also for projects which require a rapid and easy method for testing of any kind of pharmaceutical or other type of products under husbandry conditions.     

小鼠经颈外静脉右心导管法测定心室压力的实验方法研究

目的：研究可行性高的测定小鼠右心室压力的实验方法。方法：通过自制PE导管,连接powerlab多通道生物信号记录系统,经颈外静脉插管,右心导管法测定小鼠右心室压力,并借以研究肺动脉压力变化。结果：用此方法对51只小鼠进行插管,46例成功进入心室并测压,成功率90．2％。其中33只正常小鼠中,成功30例,测得压力值：收缩压（23．4±5．7）mmHg,舒张压（3．7±2．6）mmHg,平均压（12．0±3．7）mmHg;18只肺动脉高压模型小鼠中,成功16例,测得压力值：收缩压：（32．2±2．8）mmng,舒张压（3．8±2．0）mmng,平均压（14．94±2．3）mmHg。共失败5例,经解剖发现2例进入下腔静脉,2例穿破心耳,1例穿破腋静脉进入胸壁。结论：使用自制的PE导管经颈外静脉插管,右心导管法测定右心室压具有成功率高、数据更准确、操作省时、方法易普及的优点。是一种较好的对小鼠进行右心室压力测定的方法。     

The autonomic innervation of rat jugular vein

Summary The autonomic innervation of rat jugular vein was studied using glyoxylic acid fluorescence and acetylcholinesterase histochemical methods. The rat jugular vein is provided with both adrenergic and cholinergic nerve fibers organized in plexuses located at the adventitial-medial border. The existence of these nerve plexuses does not seem to support biochemical findings that suggest a lack of innervation in the rat jugular vein and which propose this blood vessel as a model for the analysis of drug-smooth muscle cell interaction without the interference of neuronal uptake mechanisms.     

Biphasic dose-response relationship for acetylcholine in the chick jugular vein

The pharmacological mechanism of biphasic dose-response relationship for acetylcholine (ACh), relaxation at low doses (1 nM to 0.3 μM) and contraction at high doses (1 μM to 30 μM), in the chick jugular vein was investigated. Neither relaxations nor contractions were affected by the treatment with tetrodotoxin, hexamethonium, d-tubocurarine, phentolamine, propranolol, reserpine, or ouabain. Besides, anoxia did not affect the biphasic pattern of dose-response curve. The contraction was attenuated by the treatment with aspirin or indomethacin, but only slightly. The dose-response curves for these responses to acetylcholine were shifted to the right by the treatment with atropine. Methacholine, carbachol, bethanechol, and arecoline caused similar biphasic responses, although contractions caused by highest doses of bethanechol or arecoline were very small in amplitude. On the other hand, pilocarpine and McN-A-343 only relaxed the strips. The dose-response curves for cholinomimetics were all shifted to the right by the treatment with atropine. It was demonstrated that the responses of the chick jugular vein to muscarinic agonists are different from those of mammalian veins. The mechanisms underlying the biphasic response are discussed.     

A non-surgical jugular catheterization technique for multiple blood sampling in cats

In order to perform pharmacokinetic studies involving multiple blood sampling, repeated at variable intervals of time, a simple and reliable non-surgical jugular catheterization technique was developed. Six cats were catheterized 48 times using an indwelling through-the-needle type catheter (22G and 20.3 cm) placed into the jugular vein through an over-the-needle type (20G and 32 mm). Catheters remained in place for 1-13 days (median 3 days) without loss of patency until removal. Each jugular was catheterized a range of 2-6 times, with a total indwelling time of 4-33 days. No clinical signs of phlebitis, thrombosis or sepsis were observed either during or after the studies. This technique allows an easy, non-painful, non-stressful blood withdrawal during extended sampling periods, with minimal damage of the veins.     

Microscopic studies on the transition between the sigmoid sinus, the superior bulb of the jugular vein and the first portion of the internal jugular vein

The author studied the structure of the tissue components of the tunicae of the terminal segment of the sigmoid sinus, particularly at the level of the transition between the sigmoid sinus, the superior bulb of the jugular vein and the first portion of the human internal jugular vein; it was established that the transition between the sigmoid sinus and the first portion of the internal jugular vein occupies the whole extension of the superior bulb of the jugular vein up to the inferior third of the first portion of this vessel. These vascular walls exhibit a structure similar to that of the dura, i.e. the tunica adventitia is formed by fascicles of collagenic fibers which describe discontinuous spirals, more open proximal to the beginning of the first portion of the internal jugular vein. Approximately in the inferior third of the first portion of the internal jugular vein, there appear fascicles of smooth muscle fibers which are arranged similarly to those of the venous walls. The tunica intima of these vascular segments exhibits an endothelium resting on a network of elastic fibers which may play the role of an internal elastic lamina. From the bony border of the jugular foramen there originates a connective system whose fascicles of collagenic and elastic fibers incorporate to the wall of the internal jugular vein after describing a stretch in spiral around the vascular lumen.     

A fast and simple technique for jugular catheterization in adult sows.

Obtaining measures of an animal's physiological state with minimum disturbance to the animal is essential in animal welfare studies and it is also ethically desirable. A simple technique for implanting a temporary jugular catheter in adult sows is described. The technique involves implantation via an ear vein and can be performed in 5-7 min. Local but not general anaesthetic is required. The technique has no effect on basal levels of salivary cortisol 1-2 h later, suggesting that it has no long term stress consequences. Catheters continue to function perfectly well after 4 h.     

A high accumulation of minerals in human internal jugular vein

To elucidate age-related changes of mineral contents in human veins, the relative contents (RCs) of elements in the human internal jugular veins, superior and inferior venae cavae, and femoral veins from 27 subjects ranging from 40 to 98 yr old were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The average RCs of calcium in the 27 specimens were the highest in the internal jugular vein, followed in descending order by the superior vena cava, femoral vein, and inferior vena cava. The RCs of calcium and phosphorus in the internal jugular veins started to increase after the age of 50 yr, became the highest in subjects in their 60s and thereafter decreased gradually. It is noted that such accumulations of minerals, similar to the internal jugular vein, were also found in the veins, such as the superior and inferior venae cavae, and femoral vein. Accumulation of minerals in the veins is different from that of arteries, which increase progressively by aging, but do not decrease.     

Relationships among element contents in the internal jugular vein similar to the arteries

To elucidate compositional changes of the veins with aging, the authors investigated the relationships among element contents in the internal jugular veins, in which a higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred with aging. The subjects consisted of 15 men and 10 women, ranging in age from 40 to 98 yr. The element contents of the internal jugular veins were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the internal jugular vein. In addition, very significant direct correlations were also found both between zinc and either iron or silicon contents and between sulfur and iron contents in the vein. As calcium and phosphorus increased in the internal jugular vein, the mass ratios of Mg/Ca and Mg/P decreased gradually in the vein, whereas the mass ratio of Ca/P hardly decreased. These results indicated that with regard to both the relationships among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium and the changes of the mass ratios of Mg/Ca and Mg/P, the internal jugular vein was very similar to the arteries.