An animal model for hearing disturbance due to inner ear ischemia: photochemically induced thrombotic occlusion of the rat anterior inferior cerebellar artery

A photochemical reaction between intravenous rose bengal and xenon light was used to induce a selective thrombus in the rat anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). Compound action potentials (CAPs) were recorded by electrocochleography and cochlear blood flow (CBF) was monitored by laser Doppler flowmetry. Photothrombotic occlusion of the AICA caused inner ear ischemia to various degrees with or without alterations of the CAP. With use of this model we investigated the critical range of the CBF for preserving cochlear function, represented by the CAPs induced with 8 kHz half-wave of sinusoid at 100 dB SPL. Results then showed that a CBF range between 26.7% and 42.9% of baseline was somewhat critical for maintenance of cochlear function in an acute phase of ischemia. Pretreatment with heparin significantly delayed thrombotic occlusion of the AICA in a dose-dependent manner. Further use of our model for inner ear ischemia may be useful for studying pathophysiology and pharmacological therapy of cochlear disturbances subsequent to circulatory disorders.