engleski

Effect of cervical stenosis on the size of brain ventricles and the spinal central canal

The pathophysiology of hydrocephalus, hydromyelia and syringomyelia development is not well understood. It was shown that cervical obstruction of physiological (systolic-diastolic) cranio-spinal displacement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is developed during inflammating process after kaolin application in cisterna magna, may lead to development of hydrocephalus and hydromyelia. We have tested this hypothesis on new experimental model of cervical stenosis without inflammation. Acute and subacute experiments were performed in cats in which plastic semiring was positioned in epidural space at C2 vertebrae compressing spinal subarachnoid space and separating spinal from cranial cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid pressures were recorded in lateral ventricle and lumbar subarahnoid space. Changes of size in brain ventricles and central canal were determined by planimetric method. It was observed in acute experiments with infusion of artificial CSF in lateral ventricle that transmission of increased CSF pressure from cranial to spinal CSF space is limited. After three weeks at the site of cervical stenosis an atrophy of spinal cord was observed and transmission of ventricular pressure to lumbar CSF was improved. Furthermore, planimetric measurement of surface of coronal brain slice and ventricles showed that ventricular surface was 0.6 &#177; 0.1% (mean &#177; S.E.M ; n = 5) in control and 1.6 &#177; 0.2 % (n = 4) in animals with cervical stenosis (p<0.002). In addition, change in size of central canal was not detected. These results support the hypothesis claiming that impairment of cranio-spinal displacement of CSF volume can lead to development of hydrocephalus. However, changes in size of brain ventricle and central canal is relatively limited probably due to atrophy of spinal cord at the site of stenosis and improvement of cranio-spinal displacement of CSF volume.

effect; cervical stenosis; size; brain ventricles; spinal central canal

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