Decompressive craniectomy as treatment for a rat model of „malignant“ middle cerebral artery infarction

Klíčová slova dekompresní kraniektomie – mozkový infarkt – střední mozková tepna (ACM) – krysa Abstract We investigated the effects of decompressive craniectomy in a rat model of „malignant“ middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. A total of 55 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 290–340 g were allocated to the following groups: (1) Sham operated group (group 1, n = 14, as controls); (2) MCA occlusion (MCAO) group (group 2, n = 26, remained untreated after right permanently MCAO); (3) Decompressive craniectomy group (group 3, n = 15, received right decompression at 1 hour after MCAO). 48 hours later we found that decompressive craniectomy can offer a clear survival benefit, a better neurological score as well as a reduced infarct volume after MCAO in rats. It significantly decreases neuronal death in cortex but not in deep structures such as hippocampus and striatum.