Effect of Nimodipine on Experimental Cerebral Vasospasm: Electron Microscopic Studies

Shim, Sang Iel; Shin, Kyu Man

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect on nimodipine on the cerebral vasospasm, twelve adult mongrel dogs were studied in this experiment. This animals were divided into 2 groups ; Intracisternal injection of autogenous blood(Group I : no treatment group) and intravenous nimodipine administration after intracisternal injection of autogenous blood(Group II : treatment group). Nimodipine was administered 12 hours after intracisternal injection of autogenous blood for 7 days. Dogs were sacrificed at 8th day after intracisternal injection of autogenous blood and the unltrastructual changes were studied. The results were as follows : In Group I basilar artery showed endothelial cell swelling with distruption of intercellular junction, subendothelial edema and thickening of the internal elastic lamina with marked edematous change. The pathologic changes of arteries in Group II were considered more favorable than that of Group I. These results suggest that early intravenous treatment with nimodipine is beneficial in the treatment of vasospasm of this models.