Effect of systemic parameters following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm in rabbits by injection of blood into the subarachnoidal space.

Objectives: To investigate acute changes of systemic parameters following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and cerebral vasospasm conditions created by intracisternal injection of fresh autologous blood in a rabbit model.

Methods: The study was carried out at the Neurosurgery Clinic, Izmir Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey between April 2002 and March 2005. Thirty-two male rabbits were divided into the following 4 groups: group one with mild hemorrhage received 0.5 cc of blood, group 2 with moderate hemorrhage received 0.7 cc of blood, group 3 with severe hemorrhage received 1 cc of blood, and the sham-operated group 4 with no blood. The clinical parameters of all animals were monitored 2 hours after the operation, and blood analysis was performed just after hemorrhage. A series of systemic parameters such as rectal temperature, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and blood gas analysis were measured before and after administration of blood injection. Results were compared by analysis of variance and paired t-tests, and p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant.

Results: The systolic blood pressures were significantly different in groups 1, 2, and 3 before and after the bleeding period. The diastolic blood pressures were also considerably different.

Conclusions: This study suggests that the presence of a blood clot and different amounts of blood in the subarachnoid space can evoke a series of changes in both local and systemic states in experimental models.