Abbocath

In total, 28 female Lewis rats (218 ± 9 g) and 23 NMRI female mice (49 ± 5 g) (Janvier; Le Genest, France) were included in this study.
As previously described (Frobert et al., 2014 (link)), the animals were anesthetized with isoflurane and oxygen (5% for induction and 2.5% for maintenance). The animals were placed on a warming pad at 37°C to avoid hypothermia during anesthesia and ventilated with a 14-G IV cannula for the rats and 20-G IV cannula for the mice (Abbocath, Abbott; Sligo, Ireland) at 80 cycles per minute (adapted to weight; Harvard Inspira Apparatus, Inc.; Holliston, MA, USA). The hearts were accessed through a left thoracotomy between the fourth and fifth interstitial space. After opening the pericardium, a permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was performed (7/0 polypropylene suture, Ethicon, Inc.; Somerville, MA, USA). Three mice and three rats were sham operated without a coronary ligation. Three healthy mice and three healthy rats that did not undergo surgery were also included as controls.

On day 30, anesthesia was induced by intramuscular injection of ketamine 25 mg/kg and xylazine 3 mg/kg. Cannulation of the ear vein with a 24 G catheter (Abbocath, Abbott Medical, Baar/Zug, Switzerland) was performed. After infiltration of the anterior cervical region with lidocaine 1% (Sintetica, Mendrisio, Switzerland), a surgical tracheostomy with a 3.5-mm uncuffed tube (3.5 mm Portex, Smiths Medical, Kent, United Kingdom) was performed. Intravenous anesthesia with propofol 10 mg/kg/h, fentanyl 5 μg/kg/h, and midazolam 0.2 mg/kg/h was administered via the ear vein. The left femoral artery and right internal jugular vein were cannulated with a 20 G catheter for arterial and venous blood sampling and invasive blood pressure measurements.
After confirming adequate anesthesia and analgesia through the absence of movement in response to painful stimuli and cardiovascular monitoring (stable heart rate and arterial blood pressure), neuromuscular blockade was performed with atracurium besylate 0.6 mg/kg/h. Body temperature was monitored with a rectal thermometer and kept between 38 and 39°C with a thermostatic heating pad (Harvard Apparatus, South Natick, MA, United States). Intravenous fluid replacement was administered with Ringer’s acetate 2 mL/kg/h.