engleski

New model of cervical stenosis in cats: Effects on size of brain ventricles and cerebrospinal fluid pressure

It was shown that cervical obstruction of physiological cranio-spinal displacement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is developed during inflammating process after kaolin application, 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 separating spinal from cranial cerebrospinal fluid. CSF pressures were recorded in lateral ventricle (LV) and lumbar subarahnoid space (LSS). Size of both the brain ventricles and central canal was determined by planimetric method. In all experiments the CSF pressures were normal. However, in acute experiments with infusion of artificial CSF, the transmission of the increased CSF pressure from LV to LSS was limited. After 3 or 6 weeks, an atrophy of spinal cord was observed at the site of cervical stenosis and pressure transmission from LV to LSS was improved. Planimetric measurement of surface of coronal brain slice and ventricles showed that ventricular surface was 0.6&#177; 0.1 % (n=5) in control and 1.6&#177; 0.2 % (n=4) in animals with cervical stenosis (p<0.002). 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 are relatively limited, probably due to atrophy of spinal cord at the stenosis site, and improvement of physiological CSF cranio-spinal displacement.

cervical stenosis; cats; cerebrospinal fluid pressure; size; ventricles

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