title: Positive impact of pre-stroke surgery on survival following transient focal ischemia in hypertensive rats.
abstract: We describe a positive influence of pre-stroke surgery on recovery and survival in a commonly used experimental stroke model. Two groups of male, stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs) underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Group 1 underwent the procedure without any prior intervention whilst group 2 had an additional general anaesthetic 6 days prior to tMCAO for a cranial burrhole and durotomy. Post-stroke recovery was assessed using a 32 point neurological deficit score and tapered beam walk and infarct volume determined from haematoxylin-eosin stained sections. In group 2 survival was 92% (n=12) versus 67% in group 1 (n=18). In addition, post-tMCAO associated weight loss was significantly reduced in group 2. There was no significant difference between the two groups in experimental outcomes: infarct volume (Group 1 317±18.6 mm³ versus Group 2 332±20.4 mm³), and serial (day 0-14 post-tMCAO) neurological deficit scores and tapered-beam walk test. Drilling a cranial burrhole under general anaesthesia prior to tMCAO in SHRSP reduced mortality and gave rise to infarct volumes and neurological deficits similar to those recorded in surviving Group 1 animals. This methodological refinement has significant implications for animal welfare and group sizes required for intervention studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Emily N J
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Ord
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shirley
authors.forename: Josie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van Kralingen
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: I Mhairi
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Macrae
authors.forename: Lorraine M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Work
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014207:Trephining