Reducing surgical complexity in SAH models: A modified approach for reliable early and long-term brain injury replication.

Abstract

Among subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) models, the endovascular perforation method is widely used but limited by complex procedures and low efficiency. In this study, we developed a modified SAH model in male C57BL/6 mice by permanently ligating the unilateral common carotid artery (CCA) while maintaining external carotid artery (ECA) patency. Using laser speckle imaging, neurological scoring, brain water content analysis, TUNEL-NeuN co-staining, and behavioral tests, we compared this modified model to the classical approach. The modified model replicated key early and long-term brain injury features-cerebral edema, neuronal apoptosis, hemodynamic changes and cognition impairment-while significantly reducing surgical time and mortality rate. Total cerebral perfusion 24 h post-SAH was higher, with no differences in edema, apoptosis, or neurological scores versus the classic ECA model. This modified SAH model offers a practical, efficient tool for translational SAH research without compromising pathophysiological accuracy.