To begin, place the anesthetized animal in the surgical area, ensuring that the surgical site is adequately shaved and disinfected. Catheterize the animal through standard surgical procedures. Next, hold the ventilator and administer 5 to 10 microliters of hypertonic saline solution intravenously through the central venous catheter.
During the saline injection, record the changes in pressure and volume, and utilize power lab to calculate the VP value. To avoid disrupting the volume signal, position the mouse on its left side, then make a lateral thoracotomy towards the spine between the third and fifth thoracic vertebrae. Gently dissect a small part of the descending aorta using forceps, then place a vascular flow probe over the aorta to measure the cardiac output.
