title: Effect of lidocaine after experimental cerebral ischemia induced by air embolism.
abstract: To investigate possible approaches to the treatment of neural damage induced by air embolism and other forms of acute cerebral ischemia, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP's) were measured after cerebral air embolism in the anesthetized cat. Air was introduced into the carotid artery in increments of 0.08 ml until the SEP amplitude was reduced to approximately 10% or less of baseline values. Either a saline or lidocaine infusion was begun 5 minutes after inducing cerebral ischemia. In the saline-treated group, SEP amplitude was reduced to 6.7% +/- 1.6% (mean +/- standard error of the mean) of baseline, with a return to 32.6% +/- 4.7% of baseline over a 2-hour period. In the lidocaine-treated group, SEP amplitude was reduced to 5.9% +/- 1.5%, with a return to 77.3% +/- 6.2% over a 2-hour period. The results suggest that lidocaine administration facilitates the return of neural function after acute cerebral ischemia induced by air embolism.
authors.affiliation: Diving Medicine Department, Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Catron
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kobrine
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Flynn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002415:Cats; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine