Cannula Holders and Adapters for Stereotaxic Equipment

Cannula Holders for Ø1.25 mm and Ø2.5 mm Ferrules
Ø5 mm and Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arms for Compatibility with Stereotaxic Equipment
Adapter Clamp Provides Coarse Height Adjustment

XC7

Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arm

XC5

Ø5 mm Adapter Arm

XCF

Cannula Holder for Ø2.5 mm Ferrules

XCL

Cannula Holder for Ø1.25 mm Ferrules

XC-CLAMP

Adapter Clamp

Application Idea

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Overview
Usage Tips
Feedback

Selection Guide

GRIN Lenses
Fiber Optic Cannulae
Implant Guides for Stereotaxic Probes
Cannula Holders and Adapters

Two Methods of Use

Click to Enlarge
Figure 1.1 The cannula holder can be attached directly to an adapter arm by using the left-handed 8-32 tap at the end of the cannula holder.

Click to Enlarge
Figure 1.2 Alternatively, the XC-CLAMP can be used to allow for coarse height adjustment between the cannula holder and the XC7 adapter arm.

Features

Cannula Holders Secure Ø1.25 mm or Ø2.5 mm Cannulae During Implantation
Use Less Force than Competing Solutions, Reduces Stress on the Specimen
Ø5 mm and Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arms Compatible with Most Stereotaxic Equipment
Adapter Clamp for Coarse Height Adjustment of Cannula Holder
Stainless Steel Construction for Easy Sterilization

Thorlabs' Cannula Holders and Adapters are designed to securely hold a fiber optic cannula or implant guide during implantation using a stereotaxic apparatus. Implant guides can improve stability and specimen adhesion when mounting fiber optic cannulae or Ø1.0 mm GRIN lenses. For easy sterilization and repeated use, these holders and adapters are manufactured using stainless steel. The cannula holders feature an easy-to-use chuck that minimizes the stress on the specimen during implantation and when releasing the cannulae (see the Usage Tips tab for more information). For compatibility with most standard stereotaxic equipment, the cannula holders contain 8-32 threads that accept our Ø5 mm and Ø7.9 mm adapter arms. Additionally, the cannula holders and adapter arms can also be used with the adapter clamp sold below, which provides coarse height adjustment of a cannula holder and Ø7.9 mm adapter arm via two 1/4"-20 thumbscrews.

Click for Details
Figure 2.1 Loosen the chuck by rotating the knurled sleeve in the direction indicated by the red arrow. Insert the ferrule just far enough to be securely held and tighten the chuck by rotating the knurled sleeve in the direction indicated by the engraved arrow.

This tab contains instructions for using the stereotaxic cannula holders, adapter arms, and clamps.

Inserting a Cannula into the Holder
Open the holder chuck by rotating the sleeve in a clockwise direction (as indicated in Figure 2.1). Insert the cannula into the opening at the center of the chuck, then tighten the chuck by rotating the sleeve in a counter-clockwise direction. The engraved arrow on the chuck sleeve indicates the tightening direction.

Ensure that the cannula ferrule and fiber are clean and free of dust; we recommend using compressed air and wearing appropriate gloves while handling the cannula.
For best results, the ferrule should be inserted just far enough so that the chuck can securely hold the ferrule (as shown in the detailed view of Figure 2.1). We recommend leaving as much of the ferrule exposed as possible to ensure adequate space for glue and permanent fixation.
Do not overtighten the chuck, as this could potentially damage the ferrule.

Releasing the Cannula from the Holder
To release the cannula after implantation, rotate the chuck clockwise until loosened. Then lift the holder away from the cannula.

This can be accomplished using stereotaxic equipment or by hand if using the XC-CLAMP with a Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arm. If the cannula holder is directly attached to an XC5 or XC7 adapter arm, the rotation directions of the chuck and the holder are opposite to each other, ensuring that the holder will not slip when releasing the cannula.

Posted Comments:

Baowang Li (posted 2024-02-14 21:39:57.417)

Could you please explain how to connect an optic cannula to a laser optic fiber when the cannula is already inserted in a Cannula holder XCL?

jpolaris (posted 2024-02-15 12:28:54.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. The XCL stereotaxic cannula holders are designed for implanting cannulae, and do not provide a way to secure a fiber inserted through the back to the implanted cannula. Please see our Usage Tips page for more information on how XCL is intended to be used. If you need to attach a fiber to an implanted cannula, we offer interconnects for this purpose. The following link will take you to our interconnects page. https://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_ID=8783&tabname=Interconnect_Usage

user (posted 2023-11-08 08:00:49.15)

Would it be possible to have an adapter arm that is 16mm in diameter? This would allow for direct use in the Kopf 1900 stereotax system.

jdelia (posted 2023-11-08 10:07:13.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs, and for providing this valuable feedback! While this is not something we currently offer, I have submitted your request to our design engineers for consideration as a future product via our internal suggestion forum.

user (posted 2023-05-29 12:07:19.32)

I would like to know if the cannula holders (XCF & XCL) have a straight hole all along the tube. This in order to get a fiber attached to a ferrule or in order to hold a capillary inserted through the entire holder. Thanks.

cdolbashian (posted 2023-06-01 02:40:36.0)

Thank you for reaching out to us with this inquiry. These indeed to have a through hole along the length of the XCF and XCL. I have contacted you directly to find more details, and if the through-hole is sufficient for your application.

Chiara Toschi (posted 2023-05-11 12:24:02.383)

We use a lot of cannulas for opto and photometry experiments. We implant them in the brain and hold them in place with a Thorlab cannula holder while we cement them to the skull. I am looking for a fiber/cannula holder that is thin enough to allow stereotaxic surgery of multiple cannulas. The ones you are currently selling, which we are suing, are too chunky on the side and do not allow for multiple fibers to be implanted in the brain (the space between them is not sufficient for the ‘chunkyness’ of the holder). Is the technical team able to build something that can hold the cannulas in place and that's thin enough so that there is more space to implant more fibers in the same place? Our team has been using a thin clamp to hold the ferrule in place on top of the brain while we cement it to the skull but we noticed that it is a bit imprecise.

jpolaris (posted 2023-05-11 06:20:03.0)

Hello, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. Custom items can be requested by contacting techsupport@thorlabs.com. I have reached out to you to discuss the required cannula holder specifications for your application.

user (posted 2019-05-08 19:13:26.54)

The distance between two hole is two small. It should be compatible to the injector. The most commonly used micro-injector is the one from WPI. So, the distance between two holes (center) should be 40 mm, and then, it will be perfect

YLohia (posted 2019-05-20 10:34:53.0)

Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. This clamp is specifically designed to interface with our cannula holders. I have reached out to you directly to gather more details about your microinjector from WPI in order to bring this up for further discussion with our design engineers.

Georgia Pierce (posted 2019-04-24 14:56:33.237)

Please make a 1mm cannula holder that can be used with the 1mm GRIN lenses.

asundararaj (posted 2019-04-24 05:01:54.0)

Thank you for your feedback. I have posted this on our internal engineering forum. I have reached out to you to discuss your application further.

Akira Yoshii (posted 2019-04-13 18:32:35.69)

Hi, I am looking for an equipment to hold a head post that is implanted to a mouse for 2-photon imaging. I would like to use a blunted nail with a diameter of 1 or 1.25 mm. Do you think I can repurpose an XCL cannula holder? If you have a bette suggestion, please let me know. Thank you, Akira Yoshii, M.D.Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology University of Illinois at Chicago

YLohia (posted 2019-04-15 10:48:35.0)

Hi Akira, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. We have reached out to you directly to discuss your application further.

Stereotaxic Cannula Holders

Zoom

Video G1.1 The chuck of the cannula holder has standard right-handed threads, while the threads at the end of the piece are left-handed for use with the adapter arms sold below. Since one set of threads is left-handed and one set is right-handed, loosening the chuck to release the cannula will not cause the cannula holder to be loosened from the adapter arm.

Easy-to-Use Chuck Provides Simple Detachment from Cannula After Implantation
Versions for Ø1.25 mm or Ø2.5 mm Cannulae or Implant Guides
Compatible with Stainless Steel and Ceramic Ferrules
Stainless Steel Construction for Easy Sterilization
Left-Handed 8-32 Tapped Hole Compatible with Adapter Arms Sold Below

The XCL and XCF Stereotaxic Cannula Holders are designed to securely hold a Ø1.25 mm or Ø2.5 mm fiber optic cannula, respectively, when using stereotaxic guidance to implant the cannula. In addition, these holders are able to secure and manipulate implant guides designed to mount Ø1.0 mm GRIN lenses or our variety of fiber optic cannulae. For easy sterilization and repeated use, the holder and chuck are constructed entirely using stainless steel. The chuck is designed to hold a cannula with either a ceramic or stainless steel ferrule without slipping during implantation. It can be tightened and loosened by rotating the knurled sleeve; the engraved arrow indicates the rotation direction for tightening (please see the Usage Tips tab for more information).

Each cannula holder features one Ø0.11" (Ø2.7 mm) side bore in the shaft for providing added torque with a balldriver when needed. The end of each cannula holder is equipped with a left-handed 8-32 tapped hole that is compatible with the Ø5 mm and Ø7.9 mm adapter arms below. The left-handed design ensures that a cannula can be released without loosening the cannula holder. This design, along with the low disconnect force of 1.1 N (0.25 lbf), helps to minimize stress on a specimen when releasing the cannula holder from an implanted cannula.

These cannula holders can be attached directly to an adapter arm (sold below) by using the left-handed 8-32 tap at the end of the cannula holder. Alternatively, the XC-CLAMP (also sold below) can be used to allow for coarse height adjustment between either cannula holder and the XC7 adapter arm.

Cannula Holder Adapter Arms and Clamp

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Click to Enlarge
Figure G2.1 The adapter clamp can be used to allow coarse height adjustment when using the Ø7.9 mm adapter arm with either the XCL or XCF.

Ø5 mm and Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arms for Stereotaxic Cannula Holders
Ø7.9 mm Adapter Arm Features a Stackable Design
Clamp with 3/16" Hex Thumbscrews for Use with a Balldriver or Hex Key
Stainless Steel Construction for Easy Sterilization

Cannula Adapter Arms provide an interface between Thorlabs' Cannula Holders and stereotaxic equipment designed for industry-standard Ø5 mm or Ø7.9 mm cannula holders. The adapter arms are constructed from stainless steel for easy sterilization and are equipped with an external left-handed 8-32 stud that is compatible with the XCL and XCF cannula holders. Each adapter arm features at least one Ø0.11" (Ø2.7 mm) side bore in the shaft for providing added torque with a balldriver when needed.

The XC7 Ø7.9 mm adapter arm also features a left-handed 8-32 tapped hole in the end opposite of the left-handed 8-32 stud to allow for stacking to create longer Ø7.9 mm adapter arms.

The XC-CLAMP is a stainless steel clamp that can hold an XCL or XCF cannula holder and an XC7 adapter arm within the clamp arms, offering an alternative to direct mounting of the adapter arm. As seen in Figure G2.1, the height of the cannula holder and adapter arm can be adjusted by using the thumbscrews on the clamp. This clamp has a non-marring flexure design in which the thumbscrews make no contact with the adapter arms. For added convenience, the thumbscrews can also be tightened using a 3/16" balldriver or hex key.