Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Technique
  • Published:

Use of the laryngeal mask airway in rabbits: placement and efficacy

Lab Animal volume 36, pages 29–34 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) has been used in various animal species anesthetized for the purpose of device evaluation, but the device has not been evaluated in rabbits during surgery. The authors tested the feasibility and potential advantages of using the LMA in 50 rabbits undergoing surgery under spontaneous-breathing inhalational anesthesia, focusing mainly on the technique of insertion and its efficacy. The LMA was easily inserted and no air leakage at the larynx was detected. Although four rabbits developed lingual cyanosis, this was reversible and most likely due to lingual vascular compression by the LMA. The authors conclude that the LMA is an attractive alternative to endotracheal intubation, as the mask can be inserted easily and rapidly and its correct placement is easily confirmed.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2: The Laryngeal Mask Airway device.
Figure 3
Figure 4: Application of a size-1 LMA on the larynx of a 3.1 kg cadaveric rabbit.
Figure 5

References

  1. Lipman, N.S., Marini, R.P. & Flecknell, P.A. in Anesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals (eds. Kohn, D.F., Wixson, S.K., White, W.J. & Benson, G.J.) 205–232 (Academic Press, New York, 1997).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Kersjes, W. et al. A new technique for oral endotracheal airway access in rabbits under fluoroscopic control: an easy way for drug administration in chronic experiments. Eur. Surg. Res. 31(2), 216–220 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Worthley, S.G. et al. Rapid oral endotracheal intubation with a fibre-optic scope in rabbits: a simple and reliable technique. Lab. Anim. 34(2), 199–201 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Irazuzta, J., Hopkins, J., Gunnoe, P. & Brittain, E. Simple method of multipurpose airway access through percutaneous tracheostomy in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Lab. Anim. Sci. 47(4), 411–413 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Fujita, M. et al. A new rabbit model of myocardial infarction without endotracheal intubation. J. Surg. Res. 116(1), 124–128 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Imai, A., Eisele, P.H. & Steffey, E.P. A new airway device for small laboratory animals. Lab. Anim. 39(1), 111–115 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Brain, A.I. The development of the Laryngeal Mask—a brief history of the invention, early clinical studies and experimental work from which the Laryngeal Mask evolved. Eur. J. Anaesthiol. Suppl. 4, 5–17 (1991)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Brimacombe, J. & Berry, A. Insertion of the laryngeal mask airway—a prospective study of four techniques. Anaesth. Intensive Care 21(1), 89–92 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Joshi, S., Sciacca, R.R., Solanki, D.R., Young, W.L. & Mathru, M.M. A prospective evaluation of clinical tests for placement of laryngeal mask airways. Anesthesiology 89(5), 1141–1146 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Davies, P.R., Tighe, S.Q., Greenslade, G.L. & Evans, G.H. Laryngeal mask airway and tracheal tube insertion by unskilled personnel. Lancet 336(8721), 977–979 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Patil, V.U., Fairbrother, C.R. & Dunham, B.M. Use of the laryngeal mask airway for emergency or elective airway management situations in pigs. Contemp. Top. Lab. Anim. Sci. 36(6), 47–48 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sarma, V.J. The use of a laryngeal mask airway in spontaneously breathing patients. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 34(8), 669–672 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Flecknell, P. in BSAVA Manual of Small Animal Anesthesia and Analgesia (eds. Seymour, C. & Gleed R.) 295–304 (British Small Animal Veterinary Association, UK, 1999).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cruz, M.I., Sacchi, T., Luna, S. P, Braz, J. & Cassu, R. Use of a laryngeal mask for airway maintenance during inhalation anesthesia in rabbits. Vet. Anaesth. Analg. 27(2), 112–116 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Smith, J.C., et al. Endotracheal tubes versus laryngeal mask airways in rabbit inhalation anesthesia: ease of use and waste gas emissions. Contemp. Top. Lab. Anim. Sci. 43(4), 22–25 (2004).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bateman, L., Ludders, J.W., Gleed, R.D. & Erb, H.N. Comparison between facemask and laryngeal mask airway in rabbits during isoflurane anesthesia. Vet. Anaesth. Analg. 32(5), 280–288 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wiederstein, I., Auer, U. & Moens, Y. Laryngeal mask airway insertion requires less propofol than endotracheal intubation in dogs. Vet. Anaesth. Analg. 33(4), 201–206 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Wemyss-Holden, S.A., Porter, K.J., Baxter, P., Rudkin, G.E. & Maddern, G.J. The laryngeal mask airway in experimental pig anesthesia. Lab. Anim. 33(1), 30–34 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Fujita, M. et al. Use of laryngeal mask airway in small animals. J. Vet. Med. Sci. 53(6), 1081–1082 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wynn, J.M. & Jones, K.L. Tongue cyanosis after laryngeal mask airway insertion. Anesthesiology 80(6), 1403 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Brietzke, S.E. & Mair, E.A. Laryngeal mask versus endotracheal tube in a ferret model. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 110(9), 827–833 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Van Zundert, A.A., Fonck, K., Al-Shaikh, B. & Mortier, E. . Comparison of the LMA-classic with the new disposable soft seal laryngeal mask in spontaneously breathing adult patients. Anesthesiology 99(5), 1066–1071 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

    George M. Kazakos,  Tilemahos Anagnostou,  Ioannis Savvas &  Dimitris Raptopoulos

  2. Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

    Dimitra Psalla

  3. Internal Medicine Clinic, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Greece

    Irene M. Kazakou

Authors
  1. George M. Kazakos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tilemahos Anagnostou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ioannis Savvas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dimitris Raptopoulos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dimitra Psalla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Irene M. Kazakou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George M. Kazakos.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kazakos, G., Anagnostou, T., Savvas, I. et al. Use of the laryngeal mask airway in rabbits: placement and efficacy. Lab Anim 36, 29–34 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0407-29

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0407-29

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing