Comprehensive Small Animal Surgery Core

The DHLRI Comprehensive Small Animal Surgery Core (CSASC) provides high quality services to support OSU investigators pursuing pre-clinical in vivo rodent studies. The CSASC is a state-of-the-art small animal surgical core facility capable of cardiovascular small animal surgery for research purposes. There are fully equipped surgical stations including an isoflurane anesthesia system, MPS Millar Pressure catheter system with data analysis software, bioamp hardware for ECG recording, biopods for rectal probe, temperature recording, animal surgery heating pads for mouse homeostasis, bead sterilizer, surgical grade instruments, and scientific personnel with expertise in small animal cardiovascular surgery.

The CSASC offers a two-tiered service through a choice of: 1) fee-for-service project (Tier 1) with user fees charged per procedure or hour for the surgical research services provided by CSASC personnel using CSASC equipment and platform; and 2) long-term projects (Tier 2) involving an MOU for %FTE of salary + benefits and support for supplies. Tier 2 projects require a commitment for at least an entire fiscal year (FY) and may only be initiated or modified at the start of the FY. 

The CSASC maintains standard operating procedures (406-00 SOP approved by IACUC) that should be referenced in a PI’s specific IACUC protocol. Any deviation from CSASC SOP must be approved in the PI’s own protocol and shared with CSASC personnel prior to study.

The advantages to using the CSASC SOP include:

1. The elimination of variations in surgery descriptions between protocols using the same surgeon
2. The reduction of study team member changes and amendments for protocols referencing to an IACUC approved SOP
3. The responsibility of the Core for facility and supplies inspected during IACUC semi-annuals

To initiate CSASC use please complete the Qualtrics linked below. The CSASC director will contact you upon receipt. 

Qualtrics Application

For protocol consulting, contact Phillips.270@osu.edu or the IACUC office at IACUCinfo@osu.edu.