Objective The objective of this study is to observe the effect of photochemical ischemic stroke model made by hand-held laser in rats. Methods 36 rats were randomly divided into four groups:group A, a skull hole was made deep to dura, irradiated by hand-held laser without rose-bengal injection for 5 minutes; group B, a skull hole was made deep to dura, irradiated by hand-held laser for 5 minutes with rose-bengal injection; group C, a skull hole was made deep to inner plate, irradiated by hand-held laser for 5 minutes with rose-bengal injection; group D, a skull hole was made deep to dura, irradiated by cold light source for 40 minutes with rose-bengal injection. Neurological deficit was evaluated 24 and 48 hours after surgery. MR scan was performed at 24 hours and the rats were killed at 48 hours, then the infarct volume was measured by TTC staining and the pathological changes was observed by light microscopy, comparing the success rate between two different irradiation sources. ResultsThe neurological deficit differed at 24 hours but converged at 48 hours. MR scan showed no infarction in group A and some in group D, obvious infarction in all rats from group B and C, but epidural hematoma occured in two rats of group C. TTC staining showed no infarction in group A, an infarction lesion occurred constantly in the left irradiated region in group B and C, but infarction ocurred only in half of the rats in group D. The successful rate of model-made was 100%、80% and 50% in group B, group C and group D respectively. Combining group B and group C into hand-held laser group, compared with the cold light source group (group D), there was a significant difference between two groups (P=0.026). ConclusionsIn the procedure of photochemical ischemic stroke model made, compared with cold light source, the successful rate was higher when using hand-held laser as the irradiating source.