General presentation

The SAR-1000 Small Animal Ventilator is a versatile and easy-to-use ventilator for mice, rats, and other small animals. Volume mode delivers a fixed tidal volume on each breath, and pressure mode causes inflation to stop at a preset airway pressure. In either mode, lung inflation is maintained at the end of inspiration until the percent inspiration (%Insp) time has elapsed. This end inspiratory pause (IEP) improves gas exchange and the overall efficiency of ventilation.

In volume mode, the ventilator operates on the proven flow-time principle, where a known airflow is delivered for a set time, thus delivering a fixed volume. In pressure mode, airflow is simply adjusted to give a suitable inspiration time. Actual tidal volume is computed and displayed on the LCD display, as well as minute ventilation (MV) and other respiratory parameters.

A built-in air pump allows completely self-contained operation. This pump draws in room air, oxygen, or anesthetic gasses through a rear-panel port.

Operation

The controls on the SAR-1000 are simple and intuitive. Respiratory rate (RR) is set directly and reads out as breaths/minute. Percent inspiration (%Insp) determines the fraction of the total cycle time devoted to inspiration. The pressure knob is used to set the desired end-inspiratory pressure (and sigh pressure setting). The inspiratory flow knob is used to set the airflow rate during inspiration. When this is adjusted, the LCD display is automatically updated to show the new flow rate and corresponding tidal volume.

The volume and pressure modes are switch-selectable and function as described above. In any mode, the front-panel pressure bar graph continuously displays the current airway pressure. This pressure signal is available as an output for external recording as well.

Sighs are initiated manually by pressing the sigh pushbutton. On a sigh breath, the end-inspiratory pressure will be determined by the sigh pressure setting.

Special features and advantages

The SAR-1000 incorporates numerous features and innovations resulting from our long experience with small animal respiratory support and monitoring. Accuracy of respiratory parameters is assured through the use of advanced sensors for airflow and pressure. The simple but versatile operating modes allow safe long-term ventilation of small, delicate animals.

Besides its primary use as a normal rodent ventilator, it can operate under remote computer control using the built-in USB port and a host PC. Basic control and monitoring software is provided, and specialized software packages are optionally available from CWE, Inc. Using such external control programs, it is possible to synchronize the ventilator for imaging purposes, do neural-controlled ventilation, constant-CO2 ventilation, and much more.

Accessories and add-ons

The SAR-1000 is fully compatible with oxygen and inhalational anesthestic gasses. An optional anesthesia kit turns the SAR-1000 into a complete and compact anesthesia ventilator. Mixing manifolds are available for combining air or oxygen with anesthetic gasses. The ventilator is expandable to multiple animals (or larger animals) via a rear-panel expansion port. Using available external valve assemblies, up to five mice or rats can be ventilated based on a single SAR-1000. Valve assemblies for larger animals are also available. Please refer to the accessories list for details.

Although the SAR-1000 comes complete with everything needed for immediate operation, we offer a variety of accessories and replacement components. These include a range of endotracheal tubes, connectors, tubing sets, etc. We are happy to customize the configuration to meet any special requirements.