A double-injection model of intracerebral hemorrhage in rabbits

We aimed to develop a double-injection model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rabbits and to evaluate it as a tool for investigating post-ICH brain injury. Rabbits were injected with 300 μL fresh autologous whole blood into the right basal ganglia. Behavioral changes were rated, brain water content (BWC) was measured and brain tissue morphology was also examined. ICH was established in 93.5% of the blood injection group. At 1, 3 and 7 days after ICH, there were significant differences in the total neurological scores (p < 0.01) and BWC (p < 0.01) between a sham-operated group and the ICH group. These findings suggest that the model produces a persistent neurological deficit, hematoma volume and perihematomal edema and closely mimics human hypertensive basal ganglia ICH; it is a controllable and reproducible hematoma that lends itself to quantitative investigation.