A localized flare of dermatitis may render patch tests uninterpretable in some patients with recently controlled widespread dermatitis.

Background: Patch testing rarely is confounded by localized dermatitis induced in the area being tested (usually the back). Its occurrence renders the interpretation of patch tests impossible.

Objective: To review our experience of the circumstances in which this phenomenon occurs during patch testing.

Rat intubation and ventilation for surgical research.

Effective outcomes in cardiothoracic surgical research using rodents are dependent upon adequate techniques for intubation and mechanical ventilation. Multiple methods are available for intubation of the rat; however, not all techniques are appropriate for survival studies. This article presents a refinement of intubation techniques and a simplified mechanical ventilation setup necessary for intrathoracic surgical procedures using volatile anesthetics.