Constructing a rabbit model of intervertebral disc degeneration by simulating the removal of human nucleus pulposus through a posterior approach / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Resection of the nudeus pulposus is the classical treatment for intervertebral disc protrusion, except a higher recurrence rate. OBJECTIVE: To verify the feasibility of establishing an animal model of intervertebral disc degeneration by puncture and aspiration via a posterolateral approach to simulate resection of human nucleus pulposus. DESIGN, TIME AND SE'I'FING: The experiment was conducted in the animal Experimental Center of Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Area Command of Chinese PLA from October 2006 to February 2007. MATERIALS: Twenty Japanese big ear rabbits were selected to establish animal models of intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS: Some nucleus pulposus tissues were abstracted from the L1-2 and L3-4 segment of 20 rabbits by the puncture and aspiration method using a 21-gaege hypodermic needle. Histological analysis was performed at 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks after surgery, and L2-3 segment was used as control group.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Histological structure of the intervertebral disc was observed by homatoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed a great deal of complete nudeus pulposus tissues, clear boundaries between nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus in the control group, and the structure of near normal annulus fibrosus was almost normal, nucleus pulposus tissue had a large number of nucleus pulposus cells. In the experimental group, the nucleus pulposus cell reduced in amount in the fourth week, the nucleus pulposus at the twelfth week were mainly full of flbroblests, while few nucleus pulposus cells were found.CONCLUSION: It is successful to establishing an animal model of intervertebral disc degeneration by puncture and aspiration via a posterolateral approach based on simulating the resection of human nucleus pulposus. This model is available for repairing intervertebrai disc degeneration using tissue engineering techniques.