Ligation Of Stump

This model uses a toy rat with a silicone stump of a "blood vessel" placed deep inside a narrow abdomen. A water-filled syringe is connected to the external end of the tube.

Assignment:

• The stump of vessel is grasped with a haemostat and a ligature is placed. The quality of the ligature is checked using pressure generated by the syringe.

Materials:

• Stuffed toy rat
• Vein: Silicone dental tube, white, diameter 2mm, soft.
• Abdomen: A clear plastic bowl is sewn into the abdominal cavity. A hole is made at the bottom, going through the entire dorsal "body wall"
• Intravenous catheter (19G) – only the inner (plastic) part
• Syringe, 10ml
• Metal clip

Set up:

• Prepare the vein by attaching the inner (plastic) part of the catheter to one end of a 10cm long piece of silicone tube. The junction must be tight. Fix with tape. 
• Pull the open end of the tube through the hole in the bottom of the abdomen, so that approx 3,5-4cm can be seen inside the animal.
• Fix the external part of the tube to the back or tail of the rat, using a clip.
• When checking the ligature for leakage, make sure the clip does not block the flow.

The following supplies should be available at the work station:

• Suture
• Scissors
• Mosquito haemostat

Student instructions:

Perform haemostasis: Ligate the stump of vessel in the rat

• Grasp the vessel with a haemostat
• Place a ligature around the vessel. Do not use a surgeon's knot.
• Tighten the first two throws by placing your finger close to the know and let the thumbs' knuckles press against each other
• If the knot seems to slide, use a slip-knot for the first throw
• After placing the ligature, test it using the water-filled syringe
• Remove the ligature, so the model is ready for the next student

This resource was developed by Associate Professor Rikke Langebæk at the University of Copenhagen and is cited with her permission.