Dec 05, 2023

Public workspaceEssential surgeries for the electrophysiological recording from a behaving non-human primate brain 2 (Craniotomy)

DOI
dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n92ldmz48l5b/v1
  • 1Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh
Daisuke Kase
Open access
DOI: dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n92ldmz48l5b/v1
Protocol Citation: Daisuke Kase, Witold J Lipski, Devin R Harsch, Robert S Turner 2023. Essential surgeries for the electrophysiological recording from a behaving non-human primate brain 2 (Craniotomy). protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n92ldmz48l5b/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: August 01, 2023
Last Modified: May 31, 2024
Protocol Integer ID: 85783
Keywords: ASAPCRN, Non-human primate, Craniotomy, Electrophysiology
Funders Acknowledgement:
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF)
Grant ID: ASAP-020519
NIH
Grant ID: R01 NS093164
NIH
Grant ID: R01 NS070865
NIH
Grant ID: R01 NS091853
NIH
Grant ID: R01 NS117058
Abstract
Outlined below are the steps to complete a craniotomy in an existing recording chamber placed on a cranial implant. This procedure can be done concurrently with the implant surgery (not recommended), or can take place upon recovery from the implant surgery.
Materials


ItemSpecificationsVendorNote
Drill bit40 GaugeMcMaster-Carrhttps://www.mcmaster.com/3584A225/
Pin viseMcMaster-Carrhttps://www.mcmaster.com/8455A31/
Bone rongeurJaw width: 1.3mm Length: 5.5"Robozhttp://shopping.roboz.com/micro-scissors-micro-forceps-groups/Rongeurs/Micro-Friedman-Rongeur-5-5-Very-Delicate-Curved
Kerrison bone punchesJaw width: 4mm Jaw position: 90 deg.Aesculaphttps://www.aesculapusa.com/en/healthcare-professionals/or-solutions/or-solutions-neurosurgical-instruments/kairison-pneumatic-bone-punch.html
Excavator spoon#1 and #153-154Nordent instrumentshttps://nordent.com/product/excavator-1-2/ https://nordent.com/product/excavator-english-pattern-153-154-2/
Gelfoam12-7 mmPfizerhttps://www.pfizermedicalinformation.com/en-us/gelfoam-absorbable-gelatin-powder
HemaBlockHemaBlockhttps://hemablock.com/
List of key materials for the craniotomy surgery
Note: Bone punches with larger jaw width (5mm or 6mm) works well to expand the craniotomy

Preparation in the prep room on the day of surgery
Preparation in the prep room on the day of surgery
Sedate the animal.

Intubate the animal, start the gas anesthesia, and bring it to the surgical suite.
Note
The intubation should be performed by a skilled veterinarian or technician.

Procedure in the surgical suite
Procedure in the surgical suite
Secure the animal’s head on the stereotaxic frame.
Open the recording chamber.
Clean the surface of the implants (chamber, head fixation post, dental acrylic, etc.) with Betadine and ethanol.
Scrub in for the surgery. Wash hands (5 min per hand) and don a surgical gown and sterile gloves.
Cover the animal’s whole body with a sterile drape.
Put a sterile drill bit in the pin vise, and expose the drill bit about 3-4 mm from the pin vise.

Note
You may remove some dental acrylic with dental drill if there is a thick layer of dental acrylic inside the chamber.

Slowly drill the first hole in the chamber with a pin vise until the pin vice touches the skull. The drill should not pierce the skull if the length is appropriately adjusted.

Note
Irrigate the skull and drill bit with sterile saline during this process.

Extend the drill bit a small amount, approximately 0.5 mm, then return to the hole that you drilled.
Deepen the hole.

Note
Continue to irrigate the skull and drill bit with sterile saline during this process.

Move to the next step if the skull is pierced and you can see the surface of the dura (it will look like a fascia of a piece of chicken). If the skull has not been pierced yet, return to Step 10.
Make many holes to draw a circle of holes in the recording chamber.
Remove the bone between holes with the bone rongeur.

Note
The excavator spoon is also useful for removing the skull in a narrow space.

If bones between all holes are entirely removed, there should be a circle-shaped bone in the middle of the recording chamber.
Raise the circle-shaped bone with tweezers and/or excavator spoon slowly and carefully.

Note
Do NOT push the circle-shaped bone that you have cut out down onto the dura. Be careful to ensure that no lever is created that will push onto the dura.

Remove the circle-shaped bone with tweezers carefully.
Expand the hole with the bone punches.

Note
1: Shave the edge of the hole with an excavator spoon to expand the hole if the hole is not large enough to insert the lower jaw of the bone punches.

2: Ensure there is no sharp bone piece in the hole when inserting the lower jaw of the bone punches into the space between the dura and skull.

Scrape the sharp edge of the skull with the excavator spoon.

Note
Bone punches cannot make a completely smooth, round shaped hole. If there is any sharp edge on the hole, such edges may push the dura and potentially cause the leak of the CSF in the future.

Rinse the small pieces of bone from the chamber with saline.
Measure the distance from the top edge of the chamber to the surface of the dura in multiple locations inside the chamber (ex. most medial, lateral, anterior, posterior corners, and center of the chamber).
Place the chamber's cap onto the chamber and secure it.

Stop the gas anesthesia, remove the intubation when the animal starts showing the reflex
Then, return the animal to the home cage.