Neural Regen Res, 2020 · DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.266919 · Published: April 1, 2020
This study investigates the impact of a closed spinal canal on secondary spinal cord injury (SCI) processes in rats. The authors compared neurological and pathological changes in rat SCI models with either closed or open spinal canals to better mimic clinical scenarios where patients often maintain a relatively complete spinal canal after injury. A modified SCI model was created in rats using a screw to compress the spinal cord while maintaining a closed spinal canal. This model was compared to a traditional open canal SCI model and a sham group to assess differences in neurological function and tissue damage. The results showed that rats with the closed spinal canal model experienced more severe neurological dysfunction and histopathological changes compared to those with the open canal model, suggesting that the presence of a closed canal exacerbates secondary injury processes after SCI.
The closed canal SCI model more closely mimics clinical scenarios of SCI without fractures or dislocations, offering a more relevant tool for studying secondary injury mechanisms.
The findings suggest that maintaining a closed spinal canal after SCI can exacerbate secondary injury processes, particularly hypoxia, which may inform new therapeutic strategies.
Targeting hypoxia and related pathways (e.g., HIF-1α and VEGF) may be a promising approach to mitigate secondary injury and improve outcomes in SCI patients with relatively intact spinal canals.