Treatment of experimentally induced cerebral atherothromboembolism in an animal model with streptokinase and taurochenodeoxycholate.

In cerebral atherothromboembolic accidents it is essential to quickly remove both the thrombotic and cholesterol crystal vascular obstructions. In this study we induced cerebral atheroembolic infarction in adult male NZW rabbits. Post induction we treated groups of animals with saline, streptokinase (SK)-only, or streptokinase and taurochenodeoxycholate (TCDC). The tissues were fixed 24 hours later and the infarcts were then measured. No remarkable damage resulted from the agents' use in the cerebral vascular bed, or in the hepatic parenchyma. Both treatments produced a dramatic reduction in the area and perimeter measurements of the infarcts when compared to control-treated animals. Both SK treatments drastically reduced the sizes of induced infarcts. It is suggested that a combined thrombolytic/emulsification treatment may drastically reduce the extent and distribution of cerebral infarcts which result from cerebral atherothromboembolism.