Over the past 25 years surgically dependent animal models have expanded from a small, almost niche area in pharmaceutical research to an important component of most research portfolios.  In this current environment the importance for researchers to understand the effects of anatomic and physiologic differences between the species, the requirement for aseptic technique to avoid confounding complications and the requirement for trained and conscientious surgeons is ever more critical.  This presentation will discuss some of the subtle ways that the performance of a surgical procedure can significantly affect the experimental results, the importance of proper model, species and strain selection and some common mistakes that the author has observed over the past quarter century.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Demonstrate the need for a high level of surgical technique and attention to asepsis, anesthesia and analgesia to provide valid and reproducible data 
2. Describe a methodology to identify, design, and plan a high quality surgical protocol