The effect of desflurane on ameliorating cerebral infarction in rats subjected to focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

To obtain more information on the cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury under desflurane anesthesia, we compared the infarct volume and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in rats subjected to focal cerebral ischemia during different concentration of desflurane anesthesia. Male Long-Evans rats weighing 270-350 g were anesthetized with desflurane in air at 1.0, 1.25 or 1.5 MAC whereas rats in the control group received intraperitoneal chloral hydrate (400 mg/kg) anesthesia. Cerebral infarction was induced by microsurgical procedures with ligation of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and clipping of the bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA) for 60 minutes. The rats were sacrificed 24 hours later, serial brain slices of 2mm thickness were taken and stained for the measurement of the infarct area. Cellular damage was evaluated by measuring the LDH level in the plasma. Desflurane (1.0, 1.25 or 1.5 MAC by inhalation) and chloral hydrate (400 mg/kg; ip.) did not produce any changes in pH, blood gases, heart rate or mean arterial blood pressure. In the rats subjected to focal cerebral ischemia, the volume of infarction was significantly less in the desflurane groups in all three different concentrations than in the chloral hydrate group. The changes of LDH activity in plasma also correlated with the result of the infarct volume. Our study suggests that desflurane may offer a neuroprotective effect such as decreased infarct volume after focal cerebral ischemia.