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Delayed Decompressive Craniectomy Improves the Long-term Outcomes in Hypertensive Rats with Space-occupying Cerebral Infarction

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Abstract

Background and Purpose

No experimental data has been published on the long-term effects of decompressive craniotomy in hypertensive rats with space-occupying cerebral infarction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of decompressive craniectomy in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of hypertensive rats in a prolonged period.

Methods

Totally 92 stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats (RHRSP) were subjected to left MCAO by an endovascular occlusion technique. The decompressive craniectomy was performed on 26 RHRSP at 1 and 24 h after MCAO, respectively. Infarct volume, neurological performance, and mortality were evaluated at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after MCAO.

Results

The mortality was reduced from 52.5% in controls to 7.7% and 23.1% in the rats underwent craniectomy at 1 and 24 h after MCAO, respectively (P < 0.05, respectively). All of the treated rats presented smaller infarct volume from 1 week to 8 weeks and better neurological performance at 4–8 weeks after MCAO compared to the controls (P < 0.05, respectively). The craniectomy at early stage was more effective than that at late stage in reducing infarct volume and improving neurological performances at 1 and 2 weeks (P < 0.05, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in infarct volume and neurological scores between the treated groups of rats at 4 and 8 weeks after MCAO (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Although the early craniectomy is more effective than delayed craniectomy in improving short-term outcome, the latter has the similar beneficial effects as early craniectomy on long-term outcome in hypertensive rats with space-occupying cerebral infarction.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the grants from the Teaching and Research Award Program for Outstanding Young Teachers in Higher Education Institutions of the Ministry of Education, China (2002), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 39940012, and 30271485), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (Nos. 990065, 21906, and 2003C30610), China Medical Board of New York Inc. (No. CMB00-730), the Fund for Priority Subjects in Clinical Medicine, Chinese Ministry of Health (2004), the Key and Scientific Project of the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (Nos. 2003B30303, 2003C30610 and 2003D30301) and the fund on collaboration study for First Affiliated Hospital and Life Science Institute in Sun Yat-Sen University (2006).

The funding sources were not involved in study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the report; decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology and Stroke Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, P.R. China

    Zhan Zhao, Jian Yu, Songjie Liao, Li Xiong, Zhijian Liang, Li Ling, Fang Wang, Qinghua Hou, Zhong Pei & Jinsheng Zeng

  2. School of Life Science, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P.R. China

    Wenliang Zhou

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  1. Zhan Zhao
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  2. Jian Yu
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  3. Songjie Liao
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  4. Li Xiong
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  5. Zhijian Liang
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  6. Li Ling
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  7. Fang Wang
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  8. Qinghua Hou
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  9. Wenliang Zhou
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  10. Zhong Pei
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  11. Jinsheng Zeng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinsheng Zeng.

Additional information

Zhan Zhao and Jian Yu have contributed equally to this work.

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Zhao, Z., Yu, J., Liao, S. et al. Delayed Decompressive Craniectomy Improves the Long-term Outcomes in Hypertensive Rats with Space-occupying Cerebral Infarction. Neurocrit Care 7, 263–269 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-007-0074-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-007-0074-0

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