PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ringer, Andrew J.
AU  - Guterman, Lee R.
AU  - Hopkins, L. Nelson
TI  - Site-Specific Thromboembolism: A Novel Animal Model for Stroke
DP  - 2004 Feb 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 329--332
VI  - 25
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/25/2/329.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/25/2/329.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2004 Feb 01; 25
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To develop a technique for site-specific placement of a thrombus of predetermined volume in an animal model for the purpose of evaluating methods of intravascular thrombolysis and clot retrieval.METHODS: Six swine were subjected to thrombus injection bilaterally in the ascending pharyngeal artery (APA). Each animal underwent transfemoral angiography while under general anesthesia. A nondetachable balloon catheter and a 3-French microcatheter were then advanced into the common carotid artery through a 7-French guide catheter. With the microcatheter in the proximal APA and the balloon inflated proximally, a bolus of preformed thrombus composed of 0.9 mL of autologous blood and 0.1 mL of bovine thrombin (200 IU/mL) was injected through the microcatheter while local flow arrest was maintained for 15 min. The balloon was deflated and removed. The occluded arteries were observed by serial angiography for 3 hr and then resected for gross examination and hematoxylin and eosin staining.RESULTS: Each APA was occluded angiographically and did not recanalize during the 3-hr observation period. Persistent, proximal progression of thrombus to the superior thyroid artery origin occurred in three animals. Gross inspection revealed that the resected arteries contained thrombus in the proximal APA but not in the common carotid artery. Histologic examination revealed organized thrombus, without evidence of intimal injury.CONCLUSION: Our model provides a simple, reliable method for site-specific injection of a thrombus of predetermined volume. Site-specific placement is important for evaluation of the efficacy of thrombolytic agents and techniques. Angiographic evidence of brain revascularization can be used to grade revascularization and clot volume. The ability to specifically localize and estimate clot volume makes our model well suited for the evaluation and comparison of thrombolytic agents and endovascular techniques.