An intravascular technique to occlude the middle cerebral artery in baboons

A technique is described for occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in the baboon by an intravascular approach. A torque catheter is introduced under fluroscopic control into the internal carotid artery by transfemoral catheterization. In conjunction with a guide wire an infusion microcatheter with increasing stiffness from the distal tip to the proximal shaft is positioned in the proximal part of the middle cerebral artery via the introducer system. N-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate-monomers are injected into the microcatheter for permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. The procedure was successfully completed in 21 out of 24 baboons. In 3 baboons the occlusion could not be achieved since the torque catheter could not pass proximal extreme tortuosities of possibly arterisclerotic internal carotid arteries. Infarcts in the 21 animals were confirmed by computerized tomography and/or autopsies in all animals.