The Charles River Laboratories Den Bosch Netherlands site has published a paper in the journal Laboratory Animals evaluating the use of Vascular Access Button™ in minipigs as an animal-welfare refinement and ease-of-use improvement over traditional methods of blood sampling and IV injections such as venipuncture and subcutaneous access ports.
The hematology, coagulation and clinical chemistry parameters of blood samples taken from the VAB™ were comparable to those taken by venipuncture. In fact, the samples taken by venipuncture had elevated creatine kinase levels which they attribute to procedure-related trauma.
The authors conclude, “Overall, the VAB system presents a highly valuable alternative to currently used methods in minipigs. Its ability to facilitate stress-free, hands-off, repeated blood sampling without the need for repeated needle punctures, as required with vascular access ports, not only improves animal welfare but also enhances data consistency and thereby scientific quality. Additionally, the system reduces procedural time and requires minimal technical support, making it a practical and efficient method for research settings. Given these benefits, the VAB system could become a new standard for toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies involving Göttingen Minipigs that require repeated/chronic intravenous dosing or multiple blood sampling time points over a 24-h period.”
Reference
For product information see: Vascular Access Button™ for Minipigs
For more on the site that performed the study, see: Charles River Den Bosch Site Profile
