TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of a novel bidirectional distraction spinal cord injury animal model
AU - Seifert, J. L.
AU - Bell, J. E.
AU - Elmer, B. B.
AU - Sucato, D. J.
AU - Romero, M. I.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Reuel Cornelia at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children for technical assistance in histological preparations. We would also like to thank Sarita Bhetawal for assistance in histological quantification. This work was supported through funding from StarPlus and The University of Texas at Arlington (MIR) as well as through Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (MIR and DJS).
Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2011/4/15
Y1 - 2011/4/15
N2 - Scoliosis corrective surgery requires the application of significant multidirectional stress forces, including distraction, for correction of the curved spine deformity and the application of fixation rods. If excessive, spine distraction may result in the development of new neurological deficits, some as severe as permanent paralysis. Current animal models of spinal cord injury, however, are limited to contusion, transection, or unidirectional distraction injuries, which fail to replicate the multidirectional forces that occur during spine corrective surgery. To address such limitation, we designed a novel device that relies on intervertebral grip fixation and linear actuators to induce controllable bidirectional distraction injuries to the spine. The device was tested in three (i.e., 3, 5, and 7. mm) distention paradigms of the rat T9-T11 vertebra, and the resulting injuries were evaluated through electrophysiological, behavioral, and histological analysis. As expected, 3. mm bilateral spine distractions showed no neurological deficit. In contrast, those with 5 and 7. mm showed partial and complete paralysis, respectively. The relationship between the severity of the spine distraction and injury to the spinal cord tissue was determined using glial fibrillary acidic protein immunocytochemistry for visualization of reactive astrocytes and labeling of ED1-positive activated macrophages/microglia. Our results demonstrate that this device can produce bidirectional spine distraction injuries with high precision and control and, thus, may be valuable in contributing to the testing of neuroprotective strategies aimed at preventing unintended new neurological damage during corrective spine surgery.
AB - Scoliosis corrective surgery requires the application of significant multidirectional stress forces, including distraction, for correction of the curved spine deformity and the application of fixation rods. If excessive, spine distraction may result in the development of new neurological deficits, some as severe as permanent paralysis. Current animal models of spinal cord injury, however, are limited to contusion, transection, or unidirectional distraction injuries, which fail to replicate the multidirectional forces that occur during spine corrective surgery. To address such limitation, we designed a novel device that relies on intervertebral grip fixation and linear actuators to induce controllable bidirectional distraction injuries to the spine. The device was tested in three (i.e., 3, 5, and 7. mm) distention paradigms of the rat T9-T11 vertebra, and the resulting injuries were evaluated through electrophysiological, behavioral, and histological analysis. As expected, 3. mm bilateral spine distractions showed no neurological deficit. In contrast, those with 5 and 7. mm showed partial and complete paralysis, respectively. The relationship between the severity of the spine distraction and injury to the spinal cord tissue was determined using glial fibrillary acidic protein immunocytochemistry for visualization of reactive astrocytes and labeling of ED1-positive activated macrophages/microglia. Our results demonstrate that this device can produce bidirectional spine distraction injuries with high precision and control and, thus, may be valuable in contributing to the testing of neuroprotective strategies aimed at preventing unintended new neurological damage during corrective spine surgery.
KW - Distraction SCI
KW - Spinal cord injury
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.02.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 21334381
AN - SCOPUS:79953039541
SN - 0165-0270
VL - 197
SP - 97
EP - 103
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
IS - 1
ER -