title: A new model of tethered cord syndrome produced by slow traction.
abstract: The development of a suitable animal model is important for clarifying the pathogenesis of tethered cord syndrome (TCS). This study was undertaken to develop a new animal model for investigating the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for TCS. A traction device, a filum terminale tractor, was designed exclusively for this experiment. A TCS model was produced in cats using the tractor to fixate the filum terminale to the dorsal aspect of the second sacrum. The responses to tethering were evaluated by electron microscopy and electromyography for detection of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) at designated time points. Progressive swaying gait and lameness in clinical performance were observed with cord traction. Histopathological examination revealed an association between the increasing traction in the spinal cord and the increase in impaired nerve cells. No changes of SEPs and MEPs were detected in the untethered cats, while the latencies of SEPs and MEPs significantly increased in the tethered cats. The TCS model established in this study is simple and reproducible, in which varying degrees of tension could be applied to the neural elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Shajing Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University, Shenzhen 518104, china.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory for Scientific Research, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Lian
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
authors.forename: Bin-Shang
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors