Awake rabbit model of ischemic spinal cord injury with delayed paraplegia: The role of ambient temperature

• Published in: Animal models and experimental medicine Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 732 - 739
• Main Authors: Yang, Wang, Wu, Qian‐qian, Yang, Lu, Chen, Yu‐jie, Jiang, Ren‐qing, Zou, Ling, Liu, Qing‐shan, Shi, Guang‐you, Cao, Jiang, Yang, Xiao‐chao, Sun, Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.10.2024; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Abdomen; ambient temperature; Animals; Aorta; Ataxia; Catheters; Coronary vessels; delayed paraplegia; Disease Models, Animal; Ischemia; Laboratory animals; Male; Original; Paralysis; Paraplegia; Paraplegia - etiology; Paraplegia - physiopathology; Paresis; rabbit model; Rabbits; Regular; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - complications; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; spinal cord injury; spinal cord ischemia; Spinal Cord Ischemia - physiopathology; Statistical analysis; Surgery; Temperature; Therapeutic applications; Veins & arteries; Wakefulness; spinal cord injury; ambient temperature; rabbit model; delayed paraplegia; spinal cord ischemia
• ISSN: 2576-2095; 2096-5451; 2576-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12346

Background Paraplegia after spinal cord ischemia is a devastating condition in the clinic. Here, we develop an awake rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia with delayed paraplegia and explore the influence of ambient temperature on the outcomes after injury. Methods A total of 47 male rabbits were involved in the present study. Transient spinal cord ischemia was induced by occluding the infrarenal abdominal aorta of awake rabbits at different ambient temperatures. To find the optimal conditions for developing delayed paraplegia, hindlimb motor function after ischemia was evaluated between experiments. Results The onset and magnitude of ischemic injury varied with the ambient temperature maintained during the peri‐ischemia period. More serious spinal cord injury occurred when ischemia was induced at higher temperatures. At 18°C, 25‐minute ischemia resulted in 74% of rabbits developing delayed paraplegia. At a temperature of 28°C or higher, most of the animals developed acute paraplegia immediately. While at 13°C, rabbits usually regained normal motor function without paraplegia. Conclusion This awake rabbit model is highly reproducible and will be helpful in future studies of delayed paraplegia after spinal cord ischemia. The ambient temperature must be considered while using this model during investigation of therapeutic interventions. The magnitude of ischemic spinal cord injury varied with the ambient temperature maintained during ischemia. More serious injury occurred when ischemia was induced at higher temperatures. At 18°C, 25‐minute ischemia resulted in most rabbits developing delayed paraplegia.