Cerebral infarction due to carotid occlusion and carbon monoxide exposure III. Influence of neck vein occlusion.

Unilateral cerebral infarcts were produced in the rat by ligation of one common carotid artery and a subsequent exposure to carbon monoxide. In animals which had undergone an additional ligation of the external jugular veins leading to a moderate increase of the cephalic venous pressure the outcome of the procedure was ameliorated significantly. Venous pressure elevation was thought to reduce the venous vascular resistance effectively by preventing the leptomeningeal veins from collapsing. Collapse of the leptomeningeal veins probably occurred during the severe carbon monoxide-induced hypotension causing a steep increase of cerebral vascular resistance.