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Rat model of spinal cord injury preserving dura mater integrity and allowing measurements of cerebrospinal fluid pressure and spinal cord blood flow

European Spine Journal volume 22, pages 1810–1819 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Purposes

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure elevation may worsen spinal cord ischaemia after spinal cord injury (SCI). We developed a rat model to investigate relationships between CSF pressure and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF).

Methods

Male Wistar rats had SCI induced at Th10 (n = 7) or a sham operation (n = 10). SCBF was measured using laser-Doppler and CSF pressure via a sacral catheter. Dural integrity was assessed using subdural methylene-blue injection (n = 5) and myelography (n = 5).

Results

The SCI group had significantly lower SCBF (p < 0.0001) and higher CSF pressure (p < 0.0001) values compared to the sham-operated group. Sixty minutes after SCI or sham operation, CSF pressure was 8.6 ± 0.4 mmHg in the SCI group versus 5.5 ± 0.5 mmHg in the sham-operated group. No dural tears were found after SCI.

Conclusion

Our rat model allows SCBF and CSF pressure measurements after induced SCI. After SCI, CSF pressure significantly increases.

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Conflict of interest

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Equipe universitaire 3509 Paris VII-Paris XI-Paris XIII, Microcirculation, Bioénergétique, Inflammation et Insuffisance circulatoire aiguë, Paris Diderot-Paris VII University, Paris, France

    Marc Soubeyrand, Elisabeth Laemmel, Arnaud Dubory, Eric Vicaut & Jacques Duranteau

  2. Service de Chirurgie Orthopédique, Hôpital de Bicêtre, CHU Bicêtre, Hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 78 Rue Général Leclerc, 94270, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France

    Marc Soubeyrand, Charles Court & Arnaud Dubory

  3. Service d’Anesthésie Réanimation, Hôpital de Bicêtre, CHU Bicêtre, Hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris, 78 Rue Général Leclerc, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France

    Jacques Duranteau

Authors
  1. Marc Soubeyrand
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  2. Elisabeth Laemmel
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  3. Charles Court
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  4. Arnaud Dubory
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  5. Eric Vicaut
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  6. Jacques Duranteau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Soubeyrand.

Additional information

E. Vicaut and J. Duranteau have similarly contributed to the study.

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Soubeyrand, M., Laemmel, E., Court, C. et al. Rat model of spinal cord injury preserving dura mater integrity and allowing measurements of cerebrospinal fluid pressure and spinal cord blood flow. Eur Spine J 22, 1810–1819 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-2744-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-013-2744-2

Keywords

  • Spinal cord injury
  • Regional blood flow
  • Spinal cord blood flow
  • Cerebrospinal fluid pressure
  • Ischaemia