A new model of brainstem ischemia in dogs.

A new model of brainstem ischemia in dogs is described. The perforating arteries arising from the posterior cerebral arteries as far as the bilateral junctions with the posterior communicating arteries were occluded using a subtemporal approach to the region of the interpeduncular cistern. Infarction of the posterior thalamus, subthalamus, midbrain, and upper pons was consistently produced. The dogs survived for greater than 1 week while exhibiting such clinical symptoms as disturbance of consciousness, tetraparesis, oculomotor paralysis, respiratory abnormalities, bradycardia, and arrhythmia. The clinical features and extent of infarction observed in this model closely resemble those of rostral brainstem infarction in human stroke. The model may be useful in studying the pathophysiology of brainstem ischemia.