Physiological Assessment in Stroke Research - Animal Models of Acute Neurological Injuries: Injury and Mechanistic Assessments - page 78

Place animal in a stereotaxic device and secure.

●

Make a trans- or hemi-cranial incision to expose the skull

●

depending on experimental approach.
Drill a small burr hole through the skull. Location of the burr

●

hole will vary depending on the particular experimental
approach. We generally aim to place the temperature probe
into the necrotic core of the infarct, just anterior and lateral to
the Bregma.
For a needle probe approach

●

Insert the needle probe into the brain parenchyma. Depth of
insertion will depend on the particular experimental approach.
For small cortical infarcts, we insert the probe to a depth of
approximately 5 mm, whereas for large territory infarcts we
generally insert the probe to a depth of approximately
10 mm.
For a micro-implantable probe approach
Insert a guide cannula approximately one-quarter to one-
half the distance of the desired depth of the microprobe. The
cannula can be secured at the skull with cyanoacrylate. A can-
nula can be created using a small gauge needle (appropriate
gauge determined by the diameter of the microprobe) that is
cut to the appropriate length. The microprobe can then be
inserted through the cannula to the desired depth and loca-
tion. The probe is then secured to the skull for the duration
of the experiment using dental cement.
Techniques for using telemetry brain temperature probes,
such as those manufactured by Mini Mitter (Bend, OR) are sim-
ilar in concept to the above. Modifi cations are made to secure
the transmitter to the skull as the animal will be ambulatory.
Colbourne has several papers with extensive detailed discussions
of these technical issues ( 29, 30 ).

Maintaining brain and core temperatures within a specifi ed range
before, during, and after the induction of stroke can be achieved by
multiple means. Homeothermic warming systems tend to be the
most common approach during the surgical process, with temper-
ature-controlled “recovery” warming chambers typically used
postsurgically. Other approaches utilizing water heating pads, heat
lamps, or heating fans are also popular. Various temperature-
controlled regulation systems have been developed to provide real-
time temperature monitoring and modulation. These systems
integrate temperature from in vivo or ex vivo monitoring sources
and can mitigate hypothermia with the application of heat, usually
by activating a heat lamp, or hyperthermia, by activating a fan with
or without mist ( 34 ). The use of feedback temperature control
systems in conjunction with telemetry probes provides a useful

3.2. Maintaining
Temperature