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Gait abnormality due to spinal instability after lumbar facetectomy in the rat

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Abstract

Purpose

Spinal instability of the lumbar spine causes various clinical symptoms. Among them, spinal instability is thought to contribute to low back pain, but the pathophysiological mechanisms are controversial. Although experimental animal models of spinal instability have been reported, it is unknown whether these models produce pain and whether spinal instability affects walking ability. We used the CatWalk system to investigate whether lumbar facetectomy causes gait abnormalities and low back pain.

Methods

Thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three experimental groups. In the sham group, only the bilateral L4–L5 facet joints were exposed. In the experimental group, rats underwent complete resection of the bilateral L4–L5 facet joints without neural tissue injury. The control group comprised naïve rats. The CatWalk system was used to analyze gait in postoperative weeks 3, 4.5, 6, and 7. Radiological and histological analyses were also performed.

Results

At 7 weeks postoperatively, the rats in the experimental group showed the gait abnormalities seen in low back pain and neuropathic pain models. Radiological examination of the same rats revealed spinal instability with histological evidence of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Conclusions

These results suggest that spinal instability and/or intervertebral disc degeneration induce gait abnormalities and low back pain. This experimental model may be useful for elucidating the mechanisms underlying clinical symptoms, such as low back pain, in patients with spinal instability.

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Acknowledgments

Part of this study was supported by a grant from the Japan Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Grand-in-aid for scientific research No. 2259164, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has any potential conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Spine Care Center, Wakayama Medical University Kihoku Hospital, 219, Myouji, Katsuragicho, Ito Gun, Wakayama, Japan

    Daisuke Fukui, Mamoru Kawakami, Shin-ichi Nakao & Toshiko Matsuoka

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1, Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan

    Munehito Yoshida & Hiroshi Yamada

Authors
  1. Daisuke Fukui
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  2. Mamoru Kawakami
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  3. Munehito Yoshida
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  4. Shin-ichi Nakao
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  5. Toshiko Matsuoka
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  6. Hiroshi Yamada
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daisuke Fukui.

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Fukui, D., Kawakami, M., Yoshida, M. et al. Gait abnormality due to spinal instability after lumbar facetectomy in the rat. Eur Spine J 24, 2085–2094 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3537-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3537-y

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