Experimental high-altitude intracerebral hemorrhage in minipigs: histology, behavior, and intracranial pressure in a double-injection model.

BACKGROUND: Specific pathophysiological mechanism in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) at high altitude is unclear, and at present, there is no relevant and suitable animal model.
METHODS: A hypobaric chamber was used to simulate an altitude of 4,000 m. Autologous arterial blood (3 ml) was slowly infused into the right basal ganglia of minipigs by a double-injection method for producing ICH.
RESULTS: The intracranial pressure and neurological score of the high-altitude group were significantly higher than those of the low-altitude (plain) group. The brain water contents and pathological lesions of perihematoma tissue were more severe in the high-altitude group.
CONCLUSIONS: The injury resulting from ICH at high altitude was more severe than that in the plain group. This model was able to produce controllable and reproducible hematomas and visible neurological deficits, which may be useful for future studies of the pathophysiology and functional rehabilitation of high-altitude ICH disease.