Guidelines > Multiple Major Survival Surgery
Definition of Major Surgical Procedure and Multiple Survival Surgery
Examples of Justifications
Definition of Major Surgical Procedure
Major surgery is surgery which penetrates and exposes any body cavity, including the cranium and the perineum (except castration), involves orthopedic surgery, or produces significant impairment of anatomical and/or physiologic function.
Multiple survival surgery is defined as more than one operative procedure from which the animal is allowed to recover.
׃ Performance of more than one major survival surgery on a single animal is discouraged, but may be approved by the IACUC if scientifically justified by the investigator.
׃ It is preferable to use more animals to reduce the amount of pain/distress individual animals may experience undergoing multiple major surgical procedures.
Scientific justification for multiple surgeries is required by the Animal Welfare Act.
Examples of Justifications
Multiple major survival surgery can be justified
If it is a necessary, related component of the same research project
Conserves scarce animal resources, such as non-human primates
If it is needed for veterinary care reasons, i.e. animal health.
Cost savings alone is NOT an adequate reason for performing multiple survival surgery.
Each animal use protocol proposing the use of multiple survival surgery will be considered and reviewed by the IACUC on a case-by-case basis.
Sources: AWA, Guide and Ag Guide
