Effect of phenytoin on functional recovery after experimental spinal cord injury in dogs.

We injured 26 dogs by dropping a 25-g, flat-bottomed weight directly onto the exposed dura. Dogs treated with phenytoin (PHT) were clinically superior to untreated controls when compared 6 weeks after injury. Comparison between PHT and dexamethasone reveals that PHT is at least as effective. The therapeutic effectiveness of PHT treatment begun immediately after injury and begun 30 minutes later was evaluated. The results obtained in all three treated groups of dogs were superior to the results with untreated controls at a significance level of P < 0.01.