Cerebral Vasospasm Model of Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rabbit

To evaluate the preventive efficacy of various antispastic agents on cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in vivo, we consider it is very important to establish to make a reliable animal SAH model. This report concerns how to make a model of a rabbit basilar artery vasospasm after SAH at Hokkaido Brain Reseach Foundation. On day-0, a male Japanese-white rabbit weighing between 3.0kg and 3.7kg, was anesthetized with an intravenous injection of pentobarbital (25mg/kg) and pancronium bromide (0.3mg/kg). On day-2, smaller anesthetics (pentobarbital 20mg/kg, pancronium bromide 0.2mg/kg) were administered because the animal lost body weight as well as activity. Tracheal intubation and artificial ventilation were performed. The central ear artery was cannulated to measure arterial blood pressure. Arterial blood gas (paO2, paCO2) was maintained within physiological range. On day-0 and day-2, the basilar artery angiography was performed. On day-0, after the angiography, cisterna magna was punctured with 23-guage butterfly needle and injected 5.0ml autologous arterial blood. Diameter of basilar artery on the angiogram was measured and the vasospasm ratio was estimated between pre and post SAH. On day-2, after the angiography, the rabbit was perfused and fixed, then the brain was removed to evaluate amount of subarachnoid colt and the basilar artery was pathologically examined. In our institute, now we have already established this animal model so can always investigate the effectiveness of various antispastic agents for SAH in vivo