Mouse laparoscopy

Study Objective. To develop a technique for performing laparoscopy in the m ouse. Design. Controlled animal study (Canadian Task Force classification II-1). Setting. University research laboratory. Subjects. Twenty-eight CD-1 pregnant mice. Intervention. Eight mice underwent anesthesia only and 20 had anesthesia pl us laparoscopy at 5.5 and at 10.5 days' gestation (implantation occurs on d ay 4.5 and delivery on days 19-20). Measurements and Main Results. Four mice in the laparoscopy group died earl y in the series, three due to hemorrhage and one due to anesthetic overdose . Among survivors, there were no differences between operated and control g roups in number of pups delivered at term (8.7 +/- 5.1 and 8.9 +/- 3.8, res pectively), frequency of pregnancy failure (18.8% and 12.5%), and presence of intraabdominal adhesions on autopsy after delivery (12.5% and 12.5%). In traabdominal contents could be manipulated to visualize both uterine horns in their entirety. The number of gestations could be counted accurately as early as 1 day after implantation. Conclusion. Given the fact that laparoscopy is not accompanied by the immun osuppression characteristic of laparotomy, this technique could prove usefu l for investigations requiring intraabdominal manipulations in mice when pr eservation of immune function is critical. The technique can be performed s afely and repeatedly after an initial learning period.