title: Rat model of spinal cord injury preserving dura mater integrity and allowing measurements of cerebrospinal fluid pressure and spinal cord blood flow.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure elevation may worsen spinal cord ischaemia after spinal cord injury (SCI). We developed a rat model to investigate relationships between CSF pressure and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats had SCI induced at Th10 (n = 7) or a sham operation (n = 10). SCBF was measured using laser-Doppler and CSF pressure via a sacral catheter. Dural integrity was assessed using subdural methylene-blue injection (n = 5) and myelography (n = 5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SCI group had significantly lower SCBF (p < 0.0001) and higher CSF pressure (p < 0.0001) values compared to the sham-operated group. Sixty minutes after SCI or sham operation, CSF pressure was 8.6 ± 0.4 mmHg in the SCI group versus 5.5 ± 0.5 mmHg in the sham-operated group. No dural tears were found after SCI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our rat model allows SCBF and CSF pressure measurements after induced SCI. After SCI, CSF pressure significantly increases.
authors.affiliation: Equipe universitaire 3509 Paris VII-Paris XI-Paris XIII, Microcirculation, Bioénergétique, Inflammation et Insuffisance circulatoire aiguë, Paris Diderot-Paris VII University, Paris, France. soubeyrand.marc@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soubeyrand
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laemmel
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Court
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubory
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicaut
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duranteau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000502:physiology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D009192:Myelography; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology