Regional cerebral blood flow with intracranial mass lesions. Part II: Autoregulation in localized mass lesion.

Autoregulation of regional cerebral blood flow was evaluated in cats. In normal baseline situations autoregulation was invariably present. Concomitant to an enlarging mass, supratentorial loss of this protective mechanism was seen both ipsilateral and contralateral to the mass. There was relative preservation of midbrain autoregulation until very high balloon volumes were reached. There was no acute regulation upon balloon deflation.