STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A STEREOTAXIC INJECTOR

1.0 PURPOSE

To design a Standard Operating Procedure that describes the procedure for operation and maintenance of a Stereotaxic injector.

2.0 SCOPE

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is applicable for the assembly and maintenance of digital Stereotaxic and Stereotaxic injectors for studies conducted.

3.0 RESPONSIBILITY

3.1 All personnel in the Pharmacology Department shall be responsible for implementation and compliance with the SOP.

3.2 Head/Designees/Scientists/Study Directors of the Pharmacology department shall be responsible to ensure the implementation and compliance with the SOP.

4.0 DISTRIBUTION

4.1 The Quality Assurance department is responsible to keep SOP ‘Master Copy’ approved through the Quality Assurance.

4.2 The copy of the ‘Control Copy’ of SOP is being distributed in the pharmacology department and placed near related Equipment/ Instrument as Display Copy.

5.0 DEFINITION(S)

5.1 Definition(s)

5.1.1 Stereotactic surgery or stereotaxy is a minimally invasive form of surgical intervention which makes use of a three-dimensional coordinate system to locate small targets inside the body and perform on them some actions such as ablation, biopsy, lesion, injection, stimulation, implantation, radiosurgery (SRS), etc.

6.0 ABBREVIATION(S)

6.1 Abbreviation(s)

6.1.1 SOP : Standard Operating Procedure

6.1.4 PPEs : Personal Protective Equipment

6.1.5 mm : Millimeter

6.1.6 e.g. : For Example

6.0                      PROCEDURE

6.1                      Introduction

The innovative design of the Stoelting Stereotaxic Instrument provides users with the ability to perform surgeries on both Mice and Rats on the same base. The stereotaxic instrument includes a warmer ready base, 100 micron 3-axes, left-hand manipulator arm, separate rat and mouse adaptors, dual-sided (18° and 45°) rat ear bars, triple point mouse ear bars, and corner clamp probe holder. Available as dual, ultra-precise, digital, or motorized.

Fig 1: Stereotaxic instrument

6.2                      Equipment description

6.2.1                 Base plate with rat adapter

6.2.2                 Manipulator

6.2.3                 Probe holder with mounting adapter

6.2.4                 Stereotaxic injector

6.2.5                 Ear bars

6.2.6                 Controller

6.3                      Assembly

6.3.1          The rat adapter assembly (Fig. 2) is shipped and mounted upside down on the main frame to prevent damage. Loosen the thumbscrew. Flip the rat adapter assembly right side up, and reinstall the rat adapter (Fig. 3).

Figure  2: For shipping, the rat adapter is mounted upside down

 

Figure 3: Reinstall the thumbscrew

 

6.3.2                 To install the manipulator, loosen the turret lock handle, so that it does not protrude into the mounting hole (Fig. 5). If the lock is not loosened sufficiently, the turret will not fit over the turret post.

6.3.3                 Align the turret with the turret post (Fig. 5), so that the manipulation assembly slides down into contact with the base of the turret post.

Figure 4: The rat adapter is properly installed.

6.3.4                 The orientation of the manipulator can be adjusted in the horizontal plane. Simply loosen the turret lock handle and rotate the manipulator assembly to the desired orientation. Use the scale on the base of the manipulator assembly to properly align it (Fig. 7). Tighten the turret lock when you are finished.

Figure 5: (Left) Position the turret over the post and slide it into place

Figure 6: (Right) tighten the turret lock.

Figure 7: Line up the scale on the turret with the line on the turret post to properly orient the manipulator assembly in the horizontal plane.

 

6.3.5                 The probe holder is provided pre-assembled with a mounting clamp that incorporates a V-shaped fitting that couples directly to the mating ˝V˝ recess on the X-axis of the manipulator. Align the probe holder with the manipulator and hold it in place (Fig. 8).

6.3.6                 Align the thumbscrew with the hole. Then, tighten the thumbscrew to secure the probe holder to the manipulator assembly (Fig. 9).

Figure 8: (Left) Align the probe holder with the V-shaped notch on the manipulator arm.

Figure 9: (Right) Secure the probe holder with the thumbscrew.

 

6.3.7                 The ear bars mount into the ear bar channels (Fig. 10). Loosen the thumb screws. Slide each ear bar into its slot and gently tighten the thumbscrews enough to secure them without over-tightening them (Fig. 12).

Figure 10: Slide the ear bar into position and tighten the thumbscrew

 

6.3.8                 The pointed end of the ear bar should face toward the center, and the ear bars should be installed so that the numbers are right side up and the increments on the two vernier scale touch each other.

         Figure 11: (Left) mount the ear bars so the numbers are right side up.

Figure 12: (Right) Use the thumbscrews to secure the ear bars in place.

 

6.4                      Stereotaxic injector

The Stoelting Stereotaxic Manual Injector provides an economical means for any application requiring injecting/withdrawing a calibrated volume under easy manual control. The Manual Stereotaxic Injector mounts easily on to any Stoelting Stereotaxic instrument including the Lab Standard, Just for Mouse, Just for Mice and New Standard. Injection directly through a needle on the syringe avoids the compliance issues that arise when injections are forced through plastic tubing.

The injector has a universal adaptor for all microsyringes available at Stoelting, including the Hamilton 700, 7000, or Gas-Tight Series syringes, ranging in size from 1 to 100 μl. plumber adaptor allows both infusion and withdrawal operation. The precise withdrawal mechanism makes it simple to pick up even one small (amount) dose.

 

7.0 PRECAUTIONS

7.1 All PPEs like aprons, gloves, masks, head caps, and shoe covers should be worn before using the instrument.

7.2 Press Keys softly.

7.3 Clean the equipment with a dry piece of robe or a lightly moistened one, do not use organic solutions.

7.4 Never use abrasive products or dissolvent them.

7.5 Never pour water or liquids on the equipment.

7.6 Once you have finished using the equipment turn it off by using the main switch, clean, and check the equipment so that it is in optimal condition when you use it again.

7.7 Do not position the unit so that it is difficult to operate the main disconnect device.

8.0 REFERENCES

8.1 Reference

8.1.1 Refer to the Stoelting Stereotaxic instrument manual.

END OF THE DOCUMENT

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