Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nakai, K. Articles by Kikuchi, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nakai, K. Articles by Kikuchi, M.

American Journal of Neuroradiology 23:1725-1731, November-December 2002
© 2002 American Society of Neuroradiology

INTERVENTIONAL

Endovascular Treatment Using Low-Power Ultraviolet Laser for Delayed Vasospasm in the Rabbit Carotid Artery Model

Kanji Nakai^a, Yuji Numaguchi^a, Thomas H. Foster^a, Katsuji Shima^b and Makoto Kikuchi^c

^a Department of Radiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
^b Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
^c Department of Medical Engineering, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan

Address reprint requests to Kanji Nakai, MD, Department of Medical Engineering, National Defense Medical College, 3-2, Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-8513, Japan

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We previously reported that pretreatment with external ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at 325 nm before blood exposure prevented the development of chronic vasospasm in rabbit common carotid arteries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the preventive effect of endovascular UV light on vasospasm after blood immersion by using the same animal model.

METHODS: The right common carotid arteries in 63 rabbits were enclosed in silicon cuffs on day 0. Sheaths were empty or filled with clotted blood. Thirty minutes after the placement of the sheaths, either alone or with blood, the common carotid arteries were subjected to UV or visible light (442 nm) irradiation via an endovascular approach at a fluence rate of 0.17 W/cm². The animals were killed on day 2, 9, or 30. Digital subtraction angiography was performed on days 0 and 2 and at the end point to evaluate the degree of vasospasm.

RESULTS: UV treatment significantly prevented the development of vasospasm on day 2. On days 9 and 30, there were no significant differences between UV-treated animals and control animals. The preventive effect reached an approximate plateau with an irradiation time of 10 s. No severe vascular injury, such as perforation, occurred in response to UV treatment during the observation period. UV light was significantly more effective than visible light in preventing vasospasm (P < .001).

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that endovascular UV irradiation after blood exposure has a prophylactic effect on vasospasm and suggest a dependence on irradiation wavelength and duration of irradiation.