Thyro-Parathyroidectomy (TPX)

Available in: Rats and Mice Anesthetics Analgesic
Pre-Operative Procedures Intra-Operative Care Post-Operative Care

Surgical Preparation

The animal is anesthetized. Sterile eye lubricant is placed in both eyes, and the throat is surgically prepared. The animal is placed in dorsal recumbency on a surgery board fitted with a sterile board drape. Analgesic is administered.

Surgical Description

To expose the thyroid and parathyroid glands, a small, ventral, midline incision is made to the skin just posterior to the chin papilla. Blunt dissection is used to separate the sternohyoideus muscle and the muscle is retracted. The parathyroid glands are located in the upper, outer corners of the thyroid lobes. The circothyroid muscle is lifted away from the thyroid lobes to reveal the parathyroid glands that lie just outside a globular piece of adipose tissue located near the right and left lobes. The parathyroid glands are removed. The isthmus of the thyroid is broken and blunt dissection is used to separate the right and left lobes of the thyroid from the trachea and surrounding tissue. The thyroid is removed. Bleeding is controlled with sterile, cotton-tipped applicators.

Surgical Closing

The incisions along the throat are closed with approved closing materials (suture or stainless steel clips), and the surgery sites are treated with an approved disinfectant followed by an alcohol swabbing.

Sham

A standard sham thyro-parathyroidectomy model is prepared as described above with regards to surgical site preparation, dissection of the throat, exposure of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, closing, and surgical site disinfection; however, no tissue is removed.