Spinal Cord Lateral Hemisection and Implantation of Guidance Channels

Spinal cord laceration injuries such as complete transection, lateral and dorsal hemisection, over hemisection, and dorsal funiculotomy in rodents have been widely used in the studies of neuronal responses to axotomy as well as axonal regeneration through and beyond the site of the injury. The latter approach has utilized transplantation of fetal cord tissues, pieces of peripheral nerves, and biosynthetic guidance channels seeded with different cell types, trophic factors, and matrix molecules. In this chapter, we introduce hands-on procedures to perform a spinal cord lateral hemisection, create a lesion cavity on the same side, and transplant a piece of guidance channel that bridges the two ends of the cord stumps. By suturing the dura, cerebrospinal fluid circulation is restored and connective tissue invasion into the lesion site is prevented. With modification, these procedures should also apply to creating abovementioned laceration injuries when microscissors are used.