Induction of general anaesthesia with intraosseous injection of thiopental in rabbits

The technique of intraosseous (IO) infusion has been reemerged as an alternative route of intravascular access for the delivery of fluids and some medications. Complications of IO infusion occur rarely and include fractures and osteomyelitis after long-term use of IO access. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of induction of anaesthesia by a standard intravenous route and an intraosseous route. Ten healthy rabbits were assigned to one of two treatments: thiopental 20 mg/kg administered intravenously via marginal vein of ear and thiopental 20 mg/kg administered intraosseously into the bone marrow of proximal tibia. In each rabbit, the heart and respiratory rates and palpebral, corneal, pinch and withdrawal reflexes were recorded before and every 2 min, for 34 min after induction of anaesthesia. Neither the clinical parameters nor the reflexes showed any significant difference (P>0.05) between the treatment groups. In addition, no adverse reaction was seen in rabbits anaesthetized by intraosseous access. The results of this study showed that the intraosseous injection of thiopental is a rapid, simple, safe and effective alternative option for induction of general anaesthesia in rabbits.