Partial occlusion of the descending aorta increases cerebral blood flow in a nonstroke porcine model

Background: We studied the effect of partial aortic occlusion on cerebral perfusion and cardiac performance using the intra-aortic NeuroFlo™ catheter. Methods: Adult pigs were instrumented to determine cardiac parameters; unique isotope-labeled microspheres were used to determine cerebral blood flow (CBF) before, during and after sequential partial aortic occlusion. Results: Six pigs were studied; there was no relevant change in cardiac output, and the desired pressure drop of 10-15 mm Hg across the balloons was achieved. CBF increased significantly with inflation of the suprarenal balloon and remained elevated 90 min after deflation. Conclusions:Partial aortic occlusion with the NeuroFlo catheter significantly increased cerebral perfusion without adversely affecting cardiac performance.