[Experimental study on injury of dorsal root ganglia in lumbar radiculopathy].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of nerve root compression on dorsal root ganglia.


METHODS
Following the method of Kawakami, 4/0 ribbon gut were applied around left L4-6 spinal nerve roots in 50 SD rats. Just 3 mm cranial to the dorsal root ganglia, the nerve roots were secured by two ligation node. The nerve roots of right side were as control. The L4-6 spinal cord was taken out 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks after surgery, respectively. The activity of fluoride resistant acid phosphatase (FRAP) was determined by the enzyme histochemistry (Gomori method) and the image analysis technique.


RESULTS
In the test side, the FRAP content of spinal dorsal horn reduced 4 weeks after operation. And there were gradually more and more decreases from 4 to 12 weeks. There was significant difference between the test side and control side (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic nerve root compression causes damage to dorsal root ganglia.
Pang
Qing-jiang
QJ
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo Zhejiang, P. R. China 315010.
Wang
Ji-hong
JH
Mao
Bin-yao
BY
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000473:pathology; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000135:Acid Phosphatase