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Effects of lipo-prostaglandin E1 on blood flow and oxygen pressure in lumbo-sacral nerve roots

  • Original Articles
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Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Abstract

Lipo-prostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) is reported to be effective in the treatment of intermittent neurogenic claudication associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. However, the underlying mechanisms by which lipo-PGE1 improves the neurological symptoms have not been fully clarified. We examined the effects of lipo-PGE1 on blood flow and oxygen pressure in the lumbar nerve roots in cats and in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. In anesthetized cats, blood flow and oxygen pressure in the L7 nerve root were measured with a laser-Doppler flowmeter and a polarographic oxygen monitor, respectively. Lipo-PGE1 (0.075 and 0.15μg/kg, i.v.) significantly increased blood flow and oxygen pressure in the nerve roots, following transient decreases. When the dural tube was compressed by a balloon at the L6 level, lipo-PGE1 (0.15 μg/kg) significantly increased blood flow and oxygen pressure in the nerve roots. Lipo-PGE1 also increased the intraoperative nerve-root blood flow in seven of ten patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The results suggest that one of the favorable effects of lipo-PGE1 on neurogenic claudication is to increase nerve-root blood flow and oxygen pressure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, 260, Chiba, Japan

    Toshihiko Sekikawa, Masazumi Murakami, Kazuhisa Takahashi, Masatsune Yamagata, Koichi Yasuhara, Tetsuharu Nemoto & Hideshige Moriya

  2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, 260, Chiba, Japan

    Toshio Suzuki & Haruaki Nakaya

Authors
  1. Toshihiko Sekikawa
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  2. Masazumi Murakami
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  3. Kazuhisa Takahashi
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  4. Masatsune Yamagata
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  5. Koichi Yasuhara
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  6. Tetsuharu Nemoto
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  7. Toshio Suzuki
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  8. Haruaki Nakaya
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  9. Hideshige Moriya
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Sekikawa, T., Murakami, M., Takahashi, K. et al. Effects of lipo-prostaglandin E1 on blood flow and oxygen pressure in lumbo-sacral nerve roots. J Orthop Sci 2, 289–294 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02488912

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02488912

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