Spinal cord repair in adult paraplegic rats: partial restoration of hind limb function.

Complete spinal cord gaps in adult rats were bridged with multiple intercostal nerve grafts that redirected specific pathways from white to gray matter. The grafted area was stabilized with fibrin glue containing acidic fibroblast growth factor and by compressive wiring of posterior spinal processes. Hind limb function improved progressively during the first 6 months, as assessed by two scoring systems. The corticospinal tract regenerated through the grafted area to the lumbar enlargement, as did several bulbospinal pathways. These data suggest a possible repair strategy for spinal cord injury.