title: [Relationship between spinal function and the severity of spinal cord injury by needle puncture].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the changes in spinal cord pathophysiology, motor function and electrophysiology after spinal cord injuries induced by punctures with different needles, and explore a new means for studying spinal neurotoxicity of local anesthetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 144 SD rats were randomly allocated into the sham-operated group (n=36) and 3 spinal cord injury groups (n=36) with the L4-5 segment of the dura mater of the spinal cord punctured using 29G, 25G, and 21G needles. The BBB scores before surgery were recorded, and at 8 h, 24 h, 72 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks after the surgery, the motor evoked potential (MEP), spinal cord pathology and the BBB scores were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control group, the rats showed normal BBB score, spinal function and microstructure. Spinal cord puncture with 29G needle did not cause obvious pathologies of the spinal cord, whereas puncture with 21G needle resulted in marked changes in the motor function, electrophysiology and histology of the spinal cord, which showed significant improvements at 2 weeks postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puncture with a 29G needle causes less injuries and minimal functional changes of the spinal cord, which can serve as a new means for studying spinal neurotoxicity of local anesthetics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. yonghtan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yong-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Shi-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Feng-Fei
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local