Experimental cerebral vasospasm induced by injecting autologous blood into cisterna magna twice after puncture of cisterna magna with a fine needle in dogs

Abstract

Objective To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of inducing cerebral vasuspasm by injecting autologous blood into cisterna magna (CM) twice after puncture of CM with a fine needle in dogs.Methods Six healthy aduh mongrel dogs of both sexes weighing 14-18 kg were involved in this study. The animals were anesthetized with intraperituneal 3% pentobarbital sodium 30-40 mg/kg. Spontaneous breathing was kept. Nonheparinized autologous arterial blood 0.5 ml/kg was injected into CM twice at the rate of 0.5 ml/s at 48 h interval after puncture of CM with a fine needle. Neurological function was assessed and scored ( 1 = normal, 5 =dead) and CT angiography was performed to determine the diameter of cerebral basilar artery before the first CM injection (T1 , baseline) and at days 7, 14 and 21 after the second CM injection (T2.4 ). Results The injection of autologous blood into CM twice significantly increased the success rate of the puncture and intraoporative survival rote of the animal*. The neurological function scores were significantly increased and diameter of cerebral basilar artery shortened at T2 and T3 compared with the baseline value. Conclusion The model of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage can be successfully established by injecting autologous blood into CM twice following puncture of CM with a fine needle in dogs, with higher postoperative survival rate and less injury to the animals. Key words: Injections,intraventricular; Blood transfusion,autologous; Vasospusm,intracranial