Importance of the vasculature in cyst formation after spinal cord injury

J Neurosurg Spine, 2009 · DOI: 10.3171/2009.4.SPINE08784 · Published: October 1, 2009

Spinal Cord Injury Cardiovascular Science Surgery

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how surgical techniques can influence scar tissue and cyst formation after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. The study compares different methods of dural closure (leaving it open, suturing it, or using hyaluronic acid) after a complete spinal cord transection. The study also examines the impact of preserving the spinal cord's blood vessels during surgery by comparing complete transection with a subpial transection, where the vessels are kept intact. The results suggest that closing the dura with sutures reduces scar formation, and preserving the blood vessels during subpial transection significantly reduces cyst formation after SCI.

Study Duration

1 month, 3 weeks, and 2 hours

Participants

Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats (250–300 g)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Dural closure using sutures resulted in significantly less glial scar formation compared to leaving the dura open.
2
Subpial transection, which preserves the pial vasculature, significantly decreased cyst formation compared to complete transection.
3
Destruction of the overlying vasculature significantly contributes to cyst formation in SCI, which in turn leads to secondary cell death.

Research Summary

This study examines surgical methods to reduce scar and cyst formation in complete transection SCI models in rats, focusing on the influence of vasculature disruption. Dural closure with sutures significantly reduced glial scar formation, while subpial transection, preserving pial vasculature, significantly decreased cyst formation. The authors conclude that maintaining vasculature integrity during SCI impacts cyst formation, and dural closure reduces glial scar formation, offering a potential platform for studying axonal regeneration approaches.

Practical Implications

Improved Surgical Techniques

Dural closure with sutures should be considered to minimize glial scar formation after spinal cord injury.

Vascular Preservation Strategies

Surgical approaches that preserve the pial vasculature may help reduce cyst formation and secondary cell death following SCI.

Research Platform

The subpial transection model coupled with dural closure offers a valuable platform for studying molecular and cellular approaches to axonal regeneration.

Study Limitations

1
Mortality rate of ~20% was observed in these transection studies.
2
Possibility of subsequent leakage after dural closure, despite confirmation at the time of surgery.
3
The gap distance between the spinal cord stumps in complete transection injury and subpial transection injury was not directly measured.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury