Abstract
Sequential changes of intimal ultrastructure in experimental vasospasm induced by oxyhemoglobin were investigated by scanning electron microscope.
Twenty-one cats were used for this study. The basilar artery was exposed by transcervico-transclival approach. Oxyhemoglobin solution was applied under the arachnoid membrane around the artery in 13 cats at hourly intervals. Of 13 cats, 3 were sacrificed at 1 hour after the first application of oxyhemoglobin solution, 3 at 3 hours, 4 at 24 hours. Three sham operation cats were treated by artificial CSF instead of the solution, and with 5 untreated normal cats, used as the control. All procedures were performed under aseptic condition. Perfusion fixation was done.
In 1-and 3-hour groups, the lamina elastica was corrugated and the endothelial cells were protruded to the lumen in depressed portion of the corrugation. In 6-and 24-hour groups, regressive changes of the endothelial cells, crater-formation and ballooning, were seen. Some white blood cells adhesed to the luminal surface in such cases. In 24-hour group, endothelial cells were all protruded, and in the total aspect, the luminal surface of the endothelial layer showed cobble-stone appearances.
