BACKGROUND

PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals requires IACUCs to use the recommendations of the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition which states: "This method is acceptable with conditions if performed correctly, and it may be used in research settings when its use is required by the experimental design and approved by the IACUC. Decapitation is justified for studies where undamaged and uncontaminated brain tissue is required. The equipment used to perform decapitation must be maintained in good working order and serviced on a regular basis to ensure sharpness of blades. The use of plastic cones to restrain animals appears to reduce distress from handling, minimizes the chance of injury to personnel, and improves positioning of the animal." "Those responsible for the use of this method must ensure that personnel who perform decapitation have been properly trained to do so and are monitored for competence." (p. 39)

IACUC Policy

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires that individuals using guillotines or surgical scissors for decapitation as a primary method of euthanasia are well versed in the correct use and maintenance of guillotines or surgical scissors in order to assure proper function and humane euthanasia.

Responsibilities

1. Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for ensuring that anyone using a guillotine or surgical scissors is properly trained and the training dates noted in a log.
2. The use of a restrainer is recommended. Any individuals using a guillotine or surgical scissors without a restrainer must have extensive experience that has been described as part of the justification to not use restrainers in the approved protocol application. Evaluation of experience may include observation of the individual by an IACUC member, DLAR Training Specialist or Research Compliance Specialist.
3. Personnel using a guillotine or surgical scissors for decapitation must make sure that they are free of rust, operates smoothly, and is clean prior to use; problems must be reported to the PI. The guillotine or surgical scissors must be checked for sharpness before each use; guillotines or surgical scissors that fail must be professional sharpened before they can be used on live animals.
4. After use, the entire guillotine or surgical scissors must be rinsed with water and scrubbed to remove gross contamination. The unit(s) should then be thoroughly disinfected (e.g. with accelerated hydrogen peroxide). A final 70% alcohol rinse will assure evaporation and reduce the need to hand-dry equipment. Guillotines and/or surgical scissors should also be periodically lubricated.
5. The action should be smooth with no perceptible binding or resistance, and the blade must be rust-free, sharp, and decapitate with minimal force. The IACUC recommends the following technique to assess the sharpness of the blade: the blade is sharp enough that it will cut a thick rubber band, without dragging it between the blades and sticking. Alternatively, Razor Edge Systems, Inc. sells a razor edge tester that can be used to "feel" any flaws in the cutting edge.
6. The frequency of guillotine and/or surgical scissor sharpening will depend on the animal species involved and volume of use, however, a minimum of every 12 months is required. Alternatively, surgical scissors for decapitation could be replaced every 12 months. The responsibility for sharpening the guillotine or surgical scissors rests with the PI.
7. All laboratories using a guillotine or surgical scissors for decapitation must maintain a log to record dates of use and sharpening.
8. Guillotine/Surgical Scissor Usage and Maintenance Log can be downloaded from the IACUC website.

Approved: June 2006

Revisions Approved: March 2009, December 2012, March 2013, November 2014, July 2018, February 2019, June 2022