Experimental cerebral infarction in the monkey. Radiographic evaluation of steroid therapy.

Cerebral ischemia and infarction have been produced in the Rhesus monkey using an autologous clot embolization technique. Preliminary findings suggest that cerebral arteriography may be used to study experimental cerebral infarction and ischemia, and the resulting cerebral edema and also that cerebral arteriography may be used as a tool for the evaluation of various types of therapy now used clinically in the treatment of these entities. The present experimental study in the monkey suggests that whereas steroid therapy initiated immediately following the onset of cerebral ischemia reduces morbidity and hastens clinical recovery, pretreatment with steroids in these same cases of cerebral ischemia may be hazardous and may increase the risk of cerebral infarction.