Establishment of rabbit brain death model by modified intracranial compression and its state maintenance

  Objective: To explore the method of making rabbit brain death model by improved intracranial compression method and maintaining brain death state. Methods: 15 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups: sham operation group (group B, n=6), intracranial intubation only, and anesthesia maintenance; brain death group (group A, n=9), through modified cranial The internal pressure method was used to make a brain death model. Record mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) changes. Ventilators and vasoactive drugs are used to maintain vital signs at a certain controllable level.

  Result: 8 of the 9 rabbits in group A were successfully modeled. As the intracranial pressure increased during the intracranial compression, the MAP and HR gradually increased in a wave shape. The peak values of MAP under anesthesia and brain death were (80.63±8.45) mmHg and (111.63±7.71) mmHg, respectively, which were statistically significant (P<0.05). The HR under anesthesia, at the time of brain death and 2 h after brain death were (153.25±14.35) times/min, (262.38±16.60) times/min and (218.50±10.27) times/min, respectively. There is statistical difference (P <0.05).

   Conclusion: Compared with traditional surgical procedures, the improved method can establish a rabbit brain death model stably and reliably; through timely and effective respiratory and circulatory support, the brain death state can be maintained for a long time.