Photothrombotic Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion and Reperfusion Laser System in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

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Abstract
Background and Purpose— To establish a less invasive and reproducible focal ischemia model in the rat, we adopted a 2-laser system (ie, photothrombosis and YAG laser–induced reperfusion). Methods— The distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) of spontaneously hypertensive rats was occluded by 568-nm krypton laser and intravenous infusion of the photosensitizing dye rose bengal and was recanalized by 355-nm ultraviolet laser irradiation. Cerebral blood flow was determined by laser-Doppler flowmetry at the penumbral cortex. Infarct volume was determined at 3 days after distal MCA occlusion. Results— Brain temperature determined with infrared thermography was maintained within an acceptable range of approximately 1°C upper shift of the center of brain temperature distribution during krypton or YAG laser irradiation. The average of the values (23 experiments; n=163) of coefficient of variation of infarct volume was 21±6%, indicating high reproducibility of this model. After distal MCA occlusion, cerebral blood flow...