title: A microsurgical procedure for middle cerebral artery occlusion by intraluminal monofilament insertion technique in the rat: a special emphasis on the methodology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there are many experimental studies describing the methodology of the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the literature, only limited data on these distinct anatomical structures and the details of the surgical procedure in a step by step manner. The aim of the present study simply is to examine the surgical anatomy of MCAO model and its modifications in the rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were used; 20 during the training phase and 20 for the main study. The monofilament sutures were prepared as described in the literature. All surgical steps of the study were performed under the operating microscope, including insertion of monofilament into middle cerebral artery through the internal carotid artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After an extensive training period, we lost two rats in four weeks. The effects of MCAO were confirmed by the evidence of severe motor deficit during the recovery period, and histopathological findings of infarction were proved in all 18 surviving rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, a microsurgical guideline of the MCAO model in the rat is provided with the detailed description of all steps of the intraluminal monofilament insertion method with related figures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bahcesehir University, MedicalPark Hospital, 27060 Sehit Kamil, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 66, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rölz
authors.affiliation: Department of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Duesseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany ; Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 400 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore 21231, USA.
authors.forename: Ulf D
authors.initials: UD
authors.lastname: Kahlert
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Duesseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Jaroslaw
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maciaczyk
keywords: Middle cerebral artery occlusion; Monofilament; Rat; Surgical anatomy