A Novel Rodent Model Modifying Perioperative Temperature and Humidity during Bowel Surgery and Mimicking Laparoscopic Conditions

Laparoscopic surgery seems to have a general physiological benefit compared to conventional procedures in several clincal studies especially regarding intestinal anastomotic healing. Reliable experimental data concerning the particular mode of beneficial action are lacking. Clinical studies will not be able to identify the variables responsible for this effect. To establish a feasible, standardized experimental model to investigate variables such as humidity and perioperative room temperature, we employed an incubator designed for neonatal care. This allows individual manipulation and observation of above mentioned variables. Our initial results show that creating intestinal anastomoses in the incubator is safe and easy to perform, creating a valuable possibility to influence perioperative conditions for experimental and clinical research.