Heparin Reduces Neurological Impairment After Cerebral Arterial Air Embolism in the Rabbit

• DOI: 10.1161/01.str.27.2.303
• Publication Date: 2011-06-17T20:08:03Z
• Authors: Keon Hee Ryu; Bradley J. Hindman; Daniel K. Reasoner; Franklin Dexter
• Keywords: Bolus (digestion); Air embolism; Stroke; Coma (optics)

Background and Purpose Neurological injury after cerebral air embolism may be due to thromboinflammatory responses at sites of air-injured endothelium. Because heparin inhibits multiple processes, we hypothesized that would decrease neurological impairment embolism. Methods To first establish a dose cause unequivocal injury, anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits received either 0, 50, 100, or 150 μL/kg into the internal carotid artery (n=5 in each group). One hour later, anesthesia was discontinued. Animals were neurologically evaluated 24 hours with use scale ranging from 0 (normal) 97 (coma) points. In subsequent experiment, (n=17) saline (n=15) 5 minutes before injection (150 μL/kg). Heparin given as 200-IU/kg bolus followed by constant infusion 75 IU · kg −1 h for 2 hours. Equal volumes control rabbits. Two Results There monotonic relationship between severity ( P =1.1×10 −7 ). receiving unequivocally injured (score, 60±16). second animals had significantly less (34±14) than controls (52±8) =.0013). Conclusions When prophylactically, decreases caused severe arterial