title: The rabbit blood-shunt model for the study of acute and late sequelae of subarachnoid hemorrhage: technical aspects.
abstract: Early brain injury and delayed cerebral vasospasm both contribute to unfavorable outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Reproducible and controllable animal models that simulate both conditions are presently uncommon. Therefore, new models are needed in order to mimic human pathophysiological conditions resulting from SAH. This report describes the technical nuances of a rabbit blood-shunt SAH model that enables control of intracerebral pressure (ICP). An extracorporeal shunt is placed between the arterial system and the subarachnoid space, which enables examiner-independent SAH in a closed cranium. Step-by-step procedural instructions and necessary equipment are described, as well as technical considerations to produce the model with minimal mortality and morbidity. Important details required for successful surgical creation of this robust, simple and consistent ICP-controlled SAH rabbit model are described.
authors.affiliation: Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital; Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital; Department of Neurosurgery, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital).
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andereggen
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital); Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Cologne.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neuschmelting
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Länggasse Bern.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Gunten
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital).
authors.forename: Hans Rudolf
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital).
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takala
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital).
authors.forename: Stephan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jakob
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital); Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fandino
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University and Bern University Hospital (Inselspital); Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau; serge.marbacher@ksa.ch.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marbacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D011817:Rabbits; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*