INTRAVITAL AND POSTMORTEM STUDIES ON AIR EMBOLISM DAMAGE OF THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER TESTED WITH TRYPAN BLUE

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Abstract
Air embolism in pial and brain vessels was studied in rabbit experiments with regard to the effect on the blood-brain barrier under intravital and postmortem conditions. Trypan blue was used as indicator of barrier damage. Observations were obtained during the experiments by means of direct microscopy of the pia and brain surface. The removed brains were sectioned for microscopical determination of the trypan blue deposition. Air embolism for 6-min. or more produces BBB damage with trypan blue staining predominantly of the arterial walls but also of the brain tissue. A staining regularly restricted to the vessel wall was seen in experiments with air embolism of a duration shorter than 1/2 min. and could be observed already after exposure for a few seconds. The findings in the intravital and the supra-vital experiments are compared and the results are discussed as to their bearings on general blood-brain barrier problems.