Global brain ischemia produced by clamping left subclavian artery and bicarotid trunk in the rabbit.

Thirty-five rabbits were divided randomly into 5 groups: sham operation, 10 minutes clamping bicarotid trunk (partial ischemia, PI), and 3 groups of 5, 7, and 10 minutes clamping left subclavian artery and bicarotid trunk (global ischemia, GI). Systolic arterial pressure increased slightly in the PI group, but doubled in the GI groups during clamping. Heart rate did not change in the PI group, but decreased transiently in the GI groups during clamping. Brain temperature decreased gradually in the GI groups during clamping, but did not change in the PI group. Necrotic changes were present 96 hours later in approximately 50% of the hippocampal CA1 cells in the GI groups, but in none of the cells in the PI and sham operation groups. The present results may indicate that clamping left subclavian artery and bicarotid trunk in the rabbit brings about global brain ischemia.