[Animal Modeling - Pharmacological Evaluation] - Acute Compression Animal Model of Lumbar Nerve Root

  1. Modeling material animals: Adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits, with an average weight of 2.3kg, half male and half female; Medications: 10% chloral hydrate, 75% alcohol, iodine, penicillin.

  2. Modeling method: Routine skin preparation was performed on the lumbar and sacral regions of white rabbits, and anesthesia was administered intraperitoneally with 10% chloral hydrate (3.3ml/kg). Then, the rabbits were fixed in a prone position on a rabbit table and disinfected and covered with cloth. Using the iliac bone as a marker, a midline dorsal incision was made under sterile conditions with the L7 spine as the center, and the skin and subcutaneous tissue were cut open. The incision length was approximately 3.5cm. Use a sharp knife to sharply separate the muscle on the left side of the spinous process, expose the spinous process, and expose the left vertebral plate of L7. Cut the left muscle with ophthalmic scissors and separate it, revealing the left sciatic nerve as close as possible to the spine, exposing this nerve. Reverse separate the anterior branch of the L7 nerve and enter the L7 nerve root channel. Cut open a 2mm diameter and 2cm long silicone tube longitudinally, carefully insert it into the L7 nerve root channel, and slowly insert it, causing acute compression of the L7 nerve root. After hemostasis and flushing, suture the muscles, subcutaneous tissue, and skin layer by layer, align the skin, and disinfect the skin with 75% alcohol iodine solution. After surgery, inject 400000 U of penicillin intramuscularly every day for a total of 5 days.

  3. The principle of modeling involves cutting the silicone tube longitudinally, inserting it slowly into the L7 nerve root channel, and creating acute compression of the L7 nerve root, similar to the damage caused by intervertebral disc herniation compressing the nerve root in clinical practice.

  4. Changes after modeling: Due to the compression of the silicone tube and the effect of inflammatory stimulation, animals sacrificed 10 days after surgery showed significant congestion and edema in the nerve root membrane space, microvascular dilation, and infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells, mainly eosinophils and neutrophils, with a small amount of lymphocytes present. The color of Nissl bodies in nerve cells becomes lighter, showing granular changes. Some nerve cells have uneven staining, nuclear condensation, degeneration, and necrosis. The myelin sheath shows vacuolar changes. Edema of the dura mater and arachnoid membrane surrounding the nerve roots. Among the deceased at 30 days after surgery, all animals in the model group showed reduced congestion and edema in the nerve root membrane space, but there was infiltration of inflammatory cells mainly composed of eosinophils and neutrophils. There were many nerve cells with uneven staining, and some nerve cells showed degeneration and necrosis. The outer membrane and nerve fiber tissue of the nerve increased significantly, and the fiber space decreased and scarred.

  5. Precautions: Surgical instruments should be strictly disinfected to prevent surgical infections, surgical trauma should be minimized, and aseptic operation should be strictly enforced.