Stability of thrombosis induced by electrocoagulation of rat middle cerebral artery

• Published in: Stroke (1970) 1994-11, Vol.25 (11), p.2241-2245
• Main Authors: el-Sabban, F, Reid, K H, Zhang, Y P, Edmonds, Jr, H L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cerebral Arteries; Disease Models, Animal; Electrocoagulation; Flunarizine - therapeutic use; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis - drug therapy; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis - etiology; Male; Platelet Aggregation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0039-2499; 1524-4628
• DOI: 10.1161/01.str.25.11.2241

Although it is often assumed in experimental stroke studies that cautery-induced occlusion is permanent, surgeons commonly expect cauterized vessels to recanalize spontaneously. We used the rat middle cerebral artery to determine if electrocoagulation would produce a permanent occlusion in this preparation. A standard bipolar coagulator, calibrated to determine actual power output, was adjusted to induce platelet aggregation in the middle cerebral artery of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats without inducing bleeding through the arterial wall. A reliable temporary thrombosis was induced by a Malis Bipolar Coagulator set to deliver 10 bursts of 1.5 seconds each at a rate of 24 min-1 and a power setting of 3 W. This thrombus was responsive to the antithrombotic agent flunarizine. An apparently permanent occlusion was produced by 30 bursts at 3 W followed by 20 bursts at 5 W. To our surprise, seven of seven such occlusions recanalized spontaneously within 4 hours. The electrocoagulation process commonly used in experimental stroke studies may produce only a temporary occlusion of the rat middle cerebral artery.