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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

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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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Authors and 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

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  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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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

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