Improvement of intraluminal suture method for establishment of focal cerebral ischemic rat models / 中国脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To improve the procedures for establishment of focal cerebral ischemic rat models with the intraluminal suture method and to elevate the survival rate of the models. Methods: Sixty male SD rats (weight, 250-270 g) were randomly allocated into 3 groups (n =20 in each group). Control group used the conventional surgical method, the pterygopalatine arteries were exposed and ligated during the procedure, and the rats had free access to food after the procedure; gavage group used the same method as the control group, but postoperative gavage was performed; protective group did not ligate the pterygopalatine arteries, but the carotid arteries and vagus nerves were carefully separated. Trying to avoid stretching the vagus nerves during the procedure and postoperative gavage was performed. The body weight of the rats in each group was weighed continuously before and after modeling, and the neurological deficit scores were measured; the survival rate of rats in each group was calculated at day 3, 14, and 28, respectively after modeling; the brain infarct volume in each group was calculated at day 28 after modeling. Results: Circled digit oneThe mean time of model production was 19.5 min in the protective group, and it was shorter than that in the control and gavage groups. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); Circled digit twoAt day 3 after modeling, the survival rate of the rats in the protective group was higher than that in the control and gavage groups. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); Circled digit threeAfter modeling, the body weight of the rats in the 3 groups were all decreased. The body weight of the rats in each group began to increase from day 7 after modeling. The body weight of the rats in the protective group was all higher than that in the control and gavage groups at day 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the procedure. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); Circled digit fourthere were no significant differences comparing the neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarction volume among the 3 groups. Conclusion: The improved procedures could shorten the time of model production, regain body weight quickly, improve the survival rate effectively after establishment of the cerebral ischemic rat models.