W Xiao1,2, J Wen1, Y-C Huang1,2,3, B-S Yu1,2. 1. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spine Surgery, Department of Spine Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China. 2. Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Orthopaedic Regenerative Technologies, Orthopaedic Research Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China. 3. Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Bone and Joint Disease, Central Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a modified model of spinal cord ischemia in rabbits. SETTINGS: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spine Surgery, Shenzhen, China. METHODS: In total, 20 New Zealand rabbits were divided into the following four groups according to the level of ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries: (1) group A, sham group, no ligation, n=5; (2) group B, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at three levels (L2-L4, n=5); (3) group C, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at four levels (L2-L5, n=5); and (4) group D, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at five levels (L1-L5, n=5). The latency of motor-evoked potentials was measured intraoperatively and the modified Tarlov grades were scored, followed by a histological observation of spinal cord, on the seventh day after surgery. RESULTS: All 10 rabbits in Group A and Group B were electrophysiologically, neurologically and histologically normal. In Group C, moderate spinal cord ischemia injury was found in three of five rabbits: they had prolonged latency of motor-evoked potentials and neuronal karyopyknosis in the anterior horn of spinal cord, and the average Tarlov score was 4.2±0.8. In Group D, severe spinal cord ischemia injury was recorded in all the five rabbits: the latency of motor-evoked potential prolonged in one rabbit, whereas the waveform disappeared in four rabbits; loss of neurons and vacuolation of gray matter were seen in spinal cord sections, and the average Tarlov score was 0.6±0.9. CONCLUSION: Selective ligation of lumbar arteries was a modified method to induce feasible and reproducible model of spinal cord ischemia in rabbits.
STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a modified model of spinal cord ischemia in rabbits. SETTINGS: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spine Surgery, Shenzhen, China. METHODS: In total, 20 New Zealand rabbits were divided into the following four groups according to the level of ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries: (1) group A, sham group, no ligation, n=5; (2) group B, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at three levels (L2-L4, n=5); (3) group C, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at four levels (L2-L5, n=5); and (4) group D, ligation of bilateral lumbar arteries at five levels (L1-L5, n=5). The latency of motor-evoked potentials was measured intraoperatively and the modified Tarlov grades were scored, followed by a histological observation of spinal cord, on the seventh day after surgery. RESULTS: All 10 rabbits in Group A and Group B were electrophysiologically, neurologically and histologically normal. In Group C, moderate spinal cord ischemia injury was found in three of five rabbits: they had prolonged latency of motor-evoked potentials and neuronal karyopyknosis in the anterior horn of spinal cord, and the average Tarlov score was 4.2±0.8. In Group D, severe spinal cord ischemia injury was recorded in all the five rabbits: the latency of motor-evoked potential prolonged in one rabbit, whereas the waveform disappeared in four rabbits; loss of neurons and vacuolation of gray matter were seen in spinal cord sections, and the average Tarlov score was 0.6±0.9. CONCLUSION: Selective ligation of lumbar arteries was a modified method to induce feasible and reproducible model of spinal cord ischemia in rabbits.
Authors: Alessandro D Luzzati; Sambhav P Shah; Fabio S Gagliano; Giuseppe G Perrucchini; Walter Fontanella; Marco Alloisio Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) Date: 2014-01-15 Impact factor: 3.468