ABSTRACT
Removing bone from the skull is often a necessary step in preparing an animal for middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The bipolar coagulator is an indispensable surgical instrument for middle cerebral artery coagulation in stroke surgery. High-temperature cauterization is popular for many types of procedures, including pinpoint procedures such as hemostasis, vasectomies, and MCAO but may require peripheral cooling when necessary to localize the effects of heating. Although mortality is generally accepted as a potential consequence of MCAO, the possibility that a majority of deaths that occur during the procedure are not due to the severity of brain injury but to a preventable form of respiratory distress deserves to be addressed. Electrocardiogram analysis and pathological examination of lungs, brain, and heart revealed that animals that showed signs of respiratory distress during surgical procedures had evidence of acute arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, and left ventricular heart failure that resulted in lung congestion.
