Assessment of a Novel Surgical Technique for Acoustic Transmitter Insertion

This study compared three surgical techniques to implant acoustic transmitters in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): 1) acoustic transmitter insertion via a ventral incision closed with two sutures, 2) insertion via a ventral incision with no sutures, 3) insertion via a lateral incision with no sutures. A control group consisting of fish that were only anesthetized and handled was also included. Tag retention, wound healing, inflammation, growth, and survival were recorded over a 12-week period. Tag retention was significantly different among the treatments, at 100% in the unsutured ventral incision group, 89% in the lateral incision group, and 63% in the sutured ventral incision group. Surgical wounds in the unsutured treatment groups showed significantly less inflammation than the sutured treatment. Wound closure occurred significantly faster in the ventral incision groups compared to the lateral incision group. The results of this study show the utility of using unsutured surgical methods for implanting acoustic transmitters in rainbow trout.