A primate model for acute and late cerebral vasospasm: angiographic findings

A subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in the squirrel monkey was produced by injection of blood via a permanently implanted catheter connected to the cisterna magna and a cannula stereotactically inserted into the interpeduncular cistern. Repeated angiographic examinations of the vertebro-basilar and right internal carotid arteries revealed a biphasic vasospasm with a maximal acute spasm at ten minutes and maximal late spasm at six days after blood injection. The present study has shown that a reproducible biphasic vasospasm can be produced in the squirrel monkey and evaluated by repeated angiographic examinations. The model is suitable in the study of basic mechanisms underlying vasospasm in a primate and, due to the size of the animal, autoradiographic evaluation of the cerebral blood flow and metabolism can be performed at an acceptable cost.