Objective To investigate the effectiveness of three different anesthetic techniques in intraventricular catheterization and its effect on the survival rate of rats. Methods Thirty Wistar rats were equally allocated into 3 groups: chloral hydrate group,pentobarbital sodium group and isoflurane group. Intraventricular catheterization was performed in the rats after anesthesia with i. p. injection of chloral hydrate and pentobarbital sodium, and isoflurane inhalation, respectively. Levels of blood glucose were detected before and at 15 and 30 minutes and 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 days after anesthesia. Body mass and 24?hour food intake were recorded before and at 1, 3, 7 days after anesthesia. The onset time and effective time of anesthesia, operation time and the survival rates on 30 days of the rats were compared and analyzed. Results The onset time and effective time of anesthesia, and the operation time in the isoflurane group were shorter than that in the chloral hydrate group, while these parameters in this group were shorter than that in the pentobarbital sodium group. Blood glucose in the chloral hydrate group was apparently increased during the surgical operation, while the body mass, 24?hour food intake and blood glucose were decreasing since one day after operation, and all the rats in this group died during the 30?day observation, mainly, due to enteroplegia. Blood glucose in the pentobarbital sodium group was mildly increased after anesthesia, while the body mass, 24?hour food intake and blood glucose were mildly decreased at one day after operation and recovered within one week. In this group, 3 rats died of respiratory distress due to overdose anesthesia and one rat died during the 30 day?observation. The blood glucose in the isoflurane group was mildly increased after operation, while the 24?hour food intake and blood glucose did not markedly changed, the body mass was stably increased, and no rat died during the 30?day?observation. Conclusions Intraperitoneal injection of chloral hydrate is not suitable for intraventricular catheterization in rats. Intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium can be only carefully applied for intraventricular catheterization under poorly?limited conditions. Isoflurane inhalation anesthesia is recommended for intraventricular catheterization in rats.