Dear Anna,

i don't think that the animals will survive. People usually ligates one side and uses the other side as a control. Best wishes, Refik

Dear Rafik, thank you for the answer. I asked the question because there are a number of publications where bilateral ligation is used as a model, and authors mention that unilateral ligation is not sufficient to cause cognitive deficit. 

Hi Anna,

Probably if you can get the ligation up enough without the distruption of the blood supply to the brainstem respiratory-cardiovascular centers, the animal would survive. Therefore it really the location of ligation is critical. Personally I would prefer a single sided ligation, as the case in most naturally occurring brain ischemias/strokes. And you would have the contra side as a control, as the controls are very important in every experiment.

best wishes,

Refik

Yes, they can survive. There is a model for permanent MCAO occlusion where the occlusion period involves occlusion of both carotids and then reperfusion for one side and for most of the cases animals survive. For acute permanent ligation of both sides I would not be so optimistic, but we have had animals surviving after this type of occlusion as well if their vertebral arteries are developed enough to compensate from posterior circulation but since there is a high rate of vertebral artery anatomical variation, risk for losing animals is high. If you are euthanizing them early post stroke (within few hours), this may work since we have not had problems for temporal (up to one hour) occlusion of both sides.