Nictitating Membrane Removal: A Surgical Procedure to Remove Nictitating Membrane from Rabbit Eye

Abstract

Source: Honkanen, R. A., et al. Establishment of a Severe Dry Eye Model Using Complete Dacryoadenectomy in Rabbits. J. Vis. Exp. (2020).

In this video, we demonstrate a surgical procedure to remove nictitating membrane from rabbit’s eye.

Protocol

All procedures involving animal models have been reviewed by the local institutional animal care committee and the JoVE veterinary review board.

1. Removal of the nictitating membrane

NOTE: For simplicity, the technique for the right eye is described below. Complete this procedure on the left eye in an identical manner. Remove the nictitating membrane bilaterally during the acclimation period (usually the first week).

1. Place rabbit in an appropriately sized restraining bag.
2. Administer a subcutaneous injection of acepromazine (1 mg/kg) over the shoulders using a 1 cc syringe a....

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
acepromazine, Aceproinj	Henry Schein Animal Health, Dublin, OH	NDC11695-0079-8	0.1ml/kg subcutaneously injection for rabbit sedation
animal restraining bag	Henry Schein Animal Health, Dublin, OH	Jorvet J0170	Use appropriately sized bag.
cautery unit, high-temperature, battery-powered	Medline Industries Inc, Northfield, IL	REF ESCT001	Keep on hand in case of bleeding, protocol 2.7
forceps, 0.3	Bausch and Lomb (Storz), Bridgewater, NJ	ET6319	For removal of nictating membrane, protocol 2.5
lid speculum, wire	Bausch and Lomb (Storz), Bridgewater, NJ	Barraquer SUH01	For removal of nictating membrane, protocol 2.4
lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:100,000; 50:50 mixture	Hospira Inc, Lake Forest IL	NDC 0409-3182-02	Pre-treat before removal of nictating membranes, protocol 2.4
lidocaine, preservative-free	Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO	L5647	1% in PBS for anesthesia agent, for application to eye, protocol 2.4
micropipette	Eppendorf	Research Plus 100 uL	For application of preservative-free lidocaine to eye, protocol 2.4
micropipette tips	World Wide Medical Products	41071052	For application of preservative-free lidocaine to eye, protocol 2.4
needle, 26-gauge	BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ	REF 305115	For injection of lidocaine/epinephrine, protocol 2.3 & 2.5
rabbit, New Zealand White	Charles River Labs, Waltham, MA (NZW)	2-3 kg	Research animals
scissors, Westcott tenotomy	McKesson Medical-Surgical, San Francisco, CA	Miltex 18-1480	For removal of nictating membrane, protocol 2.7
syringe, 1 cc	BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ	ref 309659	For injection of lidocaine/epinephrine, protocol 2.3 & 2.5