SURGICAL EXPERIENCE WITH NONHUMAN PRIMATE ANIMALS 
1963-1971 
E. I. Goldsmith* 
In the period 1963-1971, nonhuman primate animals 
have been used in an increasing number and variety of 
experimental surgical procedures. Problems of hus- 
bandry, anesthesia, tranquilization, physical control 
while awake, prevention of disease transmission, fluid 
and electrolyte balance and postoperative care have now 
been solved enabling one to make a choice of primate 
animal subject based solely on the scientific merit of the 
species available. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are 
most similar to the human in size and physiologic and 
immunologic parameters but they are scarce, expensive 
and threatened with extinction. Baboons (Papio sp.) 
are the most valuable "general use" primates for medical 
and surgical research. They are larger than other 
monkeys, hardy, and adapt well to laboratory conditions. 
Although purchase price is approximately twice that of 
a dog, many investigators have found that productivity 
is greater and that total costs are reduced by using 
baboons. Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are still 
the most widely used primates because they are plentiful 
and the large background of accumulated information 
is very valuable. Studies in reproductive and perinatal 
physiology are widely performed in rhesus monkeys 
because they can be bred with relative economy. During 
the last five years we have had experience with animals 
of 5 species in 30 different surgical procedures. The 
specific advantages of species for each type of experi- 
mentation will be demonstrated. 
INTRODUCTION 
It is significant that the experimental labora- 
tory in most departments of surgery is known 
as the "dog lab". The experience and training 
of most investigators in surgical disciplines 
fosters the assumption that one should use the 
dog as the most appropriate animal for experi- 
mental surgical procedures. This assumption 
stems from a time when stray dogs were readily 
available and very inexpensive and when other 
animals were not available, or were more ex- 
pensive. It neglects the now well established 
fact that canine anatomy and physiology are, in 
♦ Department of Surgery, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical 
Center, New York, N. Y., Laboratory for Experimental Medicine 
& Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), New York University Medical 
Center, New York, N. Y. 
many cases, poor models for the human and 
that husbandry and handling methods have 
made better models, notably nonhuman pri- 
mates, widely available and relatively inexpen- 
sive. 
METHODOLOGY 
Because it is obvious that the ultimate limit- 
ing factor in the success of clinical kidney trans- 
plant programs is the source of organs for dona- 
tion, we investigated the logistic and procedural 
problems surrounding the use of nonhuman 
primate animals as organ donors as well as the 
immunologic responses governing xenografts. 
In 1964, we performed two transplants from 
chimpanzees to patients for whom no human 
donor could be found. We observed excellent 
renal function in these transplanted kidneys 
followed by reversible acute rejection episodes 
not unlike those observed in human allografts. 
This experience convinced us that xenografting 
of organs would be a reasonable long term goal, 
and we undertook a program for the study of 
nonhuman primate animals in relation to man. 
This was ultimately enunciated in the editorial 
in the first issue of the Journal of Medical 
Primatology ^ where J. Moor-Jankowski and I 
described "medical primatology" as the "inter- 
face between human and veterinary medicine 
aided by classical primatology and zoology as 
well as anthropology and related sciences." 
In 1965, with B. H. Kean, I infected two 
baboons with cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni 
and subsequently demonstrated that the result- 
ing severe clinical infections could be cured by 
extracorporeal filtration of the portal vein 
blood.- The procedure was subsequently intro- 
duced into clinical practice and is now being 
used in selected cases throughout the world. 
Since 1966, we and others have been investi- 
gating the efficiency of heterologous cross cir- 
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