Experimental Spinal Cord Compression: Part I, Water Content and Oxygen Consumption

ABSTRACT

Experimental spinal cord compression was successfully produced in the rabbit by the expansion of the stalks of "laminaria", a sea weed, which was placed in the spinal epidural space at the level of fifth lumbar vertebrae. The experimental spinal cord compression and subsequent edema at the site of compression and its adjacent area were studied at interval of 6, 12 and 24 hour's compression by measuring wet weight and dry weight, and by calculating percent water contents, swelling percent and changesa of water content to that in control group. The oxygen consumption of cord tissues at the site of compression and its distal adjacent area of the spinal cord was investigated by using Warburg's manometric apparatus supplying 100% oxygen. In the normal rabbit, the average water content of the spinal cord was 63.38+/-0.9%. The percentage of water and swelling of the cord tissues in experimental group were higher than those in the control during the period of 24 hour's compression, and that at the site of compression they showed a tendency of rapid increase in value at an early stage, and the area adjacent to the compression demonstrated values increasing gradually during the process of compression. In control group, the average value of oxygen consumption of the cord tissue was 0.48+/-0.01---lO2 mg(dry weight)/30 min. The values of oxygen consumption of cord tissue at the site of compression and distal adjacent area were higher than in control group at an early stage and gradually decreased thereafter. It was noted that the changes of water content and oxygen consumption of spinal cord were well and influenced by the mechanical compression with "laminaria" insertion in the rabbit, resulting in spinal cord edema.