Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2012 Apr;45(2):73-79. 10.5090/kjtcs.2012.45.2.73.

The Effect of Distal Aortic Pressure on Spinal Cord Perfusion in Rats

• Park SM
• Cho SJ
• Ryu SM
• Lee KH
• Kang G

• KMID: 1433666
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5090/kjtcs.2012.45.2.73

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Aortic cross clamping is associated with spinal cord ischemia. This study used a rat spinal cord ischemia model to investigate the effect of distal aortic pressure on spinal cord perfusion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12) were divided into three groups. In group A (n=4), the aorta was not occluded. In groups B (n=4) and C (n=4), the aorta was occluded. In group B the distal aortic pressures dropped to around 20 mmHg. In group C, the distal aortic pressure was decreased to near zero. The carotid artery and tail artery were cannulated to monitor the proximal aortic pressure and the distal aortic pressure. Fluorescent microspheres were used to measure the regional blood flow in the spinal cord.
RESULTS
After aortic occlusion, blood flow to the cervical spinal cord showed no significant difference among the three groups. In groups B and C, the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord and renal blood flow decreased. No microspheres were detected in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord of group C.
CONCLUSION
The spinal cord blood flow is dependent on the distal aortic pressure after thoracic aortic occlusion.

Keyword

Animal model; Aorta; Spinal cord ischemia; Neurologic injury

MeSH Terms

Animals
Aorta
Arterial Pressure
Arteries
Carotid Arteries
Constriction
Humans
Male
Microspheres
Models, Animal
Organothiophosphorus Compounds
Perfusion
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Regional Blood Flow
Renal Circulation
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Ischemia
Tail
Organothiophosphorus Compounds