Mechanical factors affecting recovery from incomplete cervical spinal cord injury: a preliminary report
Bohlman, H.H.; Bahniuk, E.; Raskulinecz, G.; Field, G.
Johns Hopkins Medical Journal 145(3): 115-125
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-7263 PMID: 470290 Document Number: 144405
Incomplete spinal cord injuries have the potential to recover to varying degrees depending on the amount of initial spinal cord contusion and mechanical factors producing compression of neural tissue. The development of an animal model for incomplete cervical spinal cord injury is reported. Compression (transducer) and contusion (weight drop) are produced through an anterior cervical approach. Spinal cord compression, which produced incomplete paralysis, was carried out in 8 beagle hounds by remote control of a pressure transducer. Paralysis was maintained for 3-8 wk until no further recovery occurred; then cord compression was relieved so that further recovery of paralysis after late decompression could be studied. All animals recovered completely by 10 wk after injury, 5 with decompression and 3 without relieving the pressure on the spinal cord. The weight-drop method was used to contuse the spinal cords with 257-722 g-cm of energy in 7 dogs. Variable levels of quadriparesis occurred and all animals recovered by 6 wk after injury. Of the 15 dogs studied, 13 developed central cord syndromes (forepaw paralysis greater than hindpaw) with either anterior compression or contusion. The spinal cords of all dogs were subjected to gross and histological examination. Central gray matter damage was the most common finding. Spinal cord monitoring was performed by measuring computer-averaged cortical evoked potentials (CEP) induced by peripheral nerve stimulation. The CEP paralleled the degree of spinal cord damage and the degree of recovery from both contusive and compressive lesions.