Selective MCA occlusion: a precise embolic stroke model.
The present study describes a method for improving the precision and accuracy of clot placement within the middle cerebral artery (MCA) of rats, utilizing a micro-catheter and laser Doppler flowmetry. This technique reduces the size of clot needed to achieve stable occlusion with no failed embolizations and a low percentage of early recanalizations. Infarctions were consistent in both size and distribution within the MCA perfusion territory. Selective embolization in aged animals (n = 10) resulted in substantially larger infarctions than those seen in aged animals (n = 10) following non-selective embolization (P < 0.05), or young animals (n = 10) subjected to filamentous occlusion (P < 0.001). Clots were localized to the MCA by direct examination at 0, 60 and 120 min post-embolization (n = 14). All aged animals surviving 24h exhibited moderate to severe functional deficits, with selectively occluded animals having a higher mean score on the modified neurologic severity scale (P = 0.002). This model provides a highly reproducible method for embolization of the MCA and reliable reperfusion with rt-PA.
Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, 26506-9183, USA.
Vincent A
VA
Dinapoli
Charles L
CL
Rosen
Tomoaki
T
Nagamine
Todd
T
Crocco
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010960:Plasminogen Activators