Utrecht University report compares three rat IV access systems and concludes the VAB™ is "a vast improvement compared to the other systems."

A group from Utrecht University in the Netherlands has published a retrospective evaluation of three intravenous catheter access systems for rats in the June 2025 issue of the journal Laboratory Animals:

• CamCath backmount. They note that the system performed well for about a month, but problems occurred with clotting, leaks, damage from gnawing, stress to the animals when connecting/disconnecting, tether connection failures and the inability to socially house.
• SAI Infusion Technologies skin button with quick release septum. They note that connection/disconnection was much better than with the Camcath system, but infections and leakages led to an 88.5% failure rate after two months.
• Instech Vascular Access Button™. They note easy connection/disconnection, no major skin irritations (minor irritations in 10% of animals were treated locally with droplets of depomycine), no leaks or blockages even after four months, and no issues with social housing. “A vast improvement compared to the other systems.”

Source: Lab Anim. 2025 Jun; 59(3): 364-368.