Arterial air embolism in the cat brain.

In cats air embolism of the brain was produced by injecting 0.6 ml blood foam into the innominate artery proximal to the origin of both common carotid arteries. Air embolism caused transient ischemia of the brain, reaching a maximum within 1 min after injection. Resolution of the air embolism began a few minutes later and was completed within 15 min in the center and within 30 min in the border zone of the main supplying arteries. During this phase tissue perfusion was inhomogenous with reduced flow rates in some areas and reactive hyperemia up to 300% in others. This resulted in venous hyperoxia and a decrease of arteriovenous oxygen difference to as low as 2 ml/100 ml blood. Reactive hyperemia was accompanied by brain swelling and an increase in intracranial pressure from 3.6 +/- 1.2 to 12.3 +/- 2.0 mm Hg. The reason for hyperemia was a decrease of cortical pH which fell from 7.33 +/- 0.03 to 7.03 +/- 0.05, and which caused a dilation of pial arteries up to 260%. Immediately after embolism, the EEG flattened and oxygen consumption decreased. After normalization of flow, oxygen consumption returned to normal, but EEG only partially recovered. Air embolism had little effect on the water and electrolyte content of the brain, and produced very little damage to the blood-brain barrier.