Avaliação funcional e histológica da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica em ratos com lesão medular / Functional and histologic evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in rats with spinal cord injury

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a eficácia da aplicação da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica em ratos Wistar, com lesão medular contusa produzida por equipamento computadorizado para impacto por queda de peso, NYU Impactor. MÉTODOS: Avaliaram-se 17 ratos machos com peso variando de 265 a 426 g; realizaram-se impactos com peso de 10 g de uma altura pré-determinada de 12,5 mm ao nível da décima vértebra torácica, após realização de laminectomia prévia. Os ratos foram divididos aleatoriamente em grupo controle e grupo oxigênio hiperbárico. Este último, submetido à tratamento com oxigenoterapia em câmara hiperbárica, durante uma hora diária por um período de 30 dias. A avaliação da recuperação locomotora foi realizada no 2º, 9º, 16º, 23º e 30º dia pós-operatório, avaliados através de escala funcional e o sítio de lesão submetido à exame anatomopatológico. RESULTADOS: Demonstrou-se melhora da recuperação locomotora nos ratos tratados com oxigênio hiperbárico nas fases iniciais de avaliação mas no final da avaliação não havia diferença estatisticamente significante entre ambos grupos. O exame anatomopatológico comprovou as alterações estruturais da medula espinal nos dois grupos. CONCLUSÃO: A lesão medular leve provocada nos ratos evoluiu de maneira diferente no grupo da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica comparativamente ao grupo controle, na fase inicial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Wistar rats with spinal cord contusion produced using computerized equipment to create impact by a falling weight, NYU Impactor. METHODS: We evaluated 17 male rats with weights ranging from 265 to 426 g; impacts were performed with a weight of 10 g from a pre-determined height of 12.5 mm, at the tenth thoracic vertebra, after completion of prior laminectomy. The rats were randomly divided into a control group and a group treated with hyperbaric oxygen. The latter, was treated with oxygen therapy in a hyperbaric chamber for one hour daily for a period of 30 days. The assessment of locomotor recovery was conducted on the 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th postoperative days, measured by the functional scale and the site of injury submitted to anatomopathological examination. RESULTS: Improved locomotor recovery was demonstrated in the rats treated with hyperbaric oxygen in the initial stages of the evaluation, but at the end of the evaluation there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The anatomopathological examination showed structural changes of the spinal cord in both groups. CONCLUSION: Spinal cord injury in rats evolved differently in the hyperbaric oxygen therapy group compared with the control group, in the initial phase.

Effects of methylprednisolone and ganglioside GM-1 on a spinal lesion: a functional analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The pharmacological effects of methylprednisolone (MP) and ganglioside GM-1 on spinal injuries have been thoroughly investigated, but only a few studies have evaluated the interaction between these two drugs. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar rats were subjected to contusive injury of the spinal cord produced by the NYU system. These animals were divided into four groups: group I was injected with MP; group II was injected with GM-1; group III was injected with MP together with GM-1; and group control received physiological serum. The animals were evaluated with regard to their recovery of locomotive function by means of the BBB test on the second, seventh and fourteenth days after receiving the contusive injury to the spinal cord. They were sacrificed on the fourteenth day. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that the MP and GM-1 groups presented functional results that were better than those of the control group, although the enhanced recovery of group II (GM-1) relative to the control group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The most notable recovery of locomotive function was observed in the group that received MP alone (p<0.05). The group that received MP together with GM-1 presented results that were better than those of the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of methylprednisolone alone or with GM-1 was shown to be effective for recovery of locomotive function. Combined administration of these drugs resulted in better outcomes than administration of methylprednisolone alone.

Effects of methylprednisolone and ganglioside GM-1 on a spinal lesion: a functional analysis

OBJECTIVES: The pharmacological effects of methylprednisolone (MP) and ganglioside GM-1 on spinal injuries have been thoroughly investigated, but only a few studies have evaluated the interaction between these two drugs. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar rats were subjected to contusive injury of the spinal cord produced by the NYU system. These animals were divided into four groups: group I was injected with MP; group II was injected with GM-1; group III was injected with MP together with GM-1; and group control received physiological serum. The animals were evaluated with regard to their recovery of locomotive function by means of the BBB test on the second, seventh and fourteenth days after receiving the contusive injury to the spinal cord. They were sacrificed on the fourteenth day. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that the MP and GM-1 groups presented functional results that were better than those of the control group, although the enhanced recovery of group II (GM-1) relative to the control group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The most notable recovery of locomotive function was observed in the group that received MP alone (p<0.05). The group that received MP together with GM-1 presented results that were better than those of the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of methylprednisolone alone or with GM-1 was shown to be effective for recovery of locomotive function. Combined administration of these drugs resulted in better outcomes than administration of methylprednisolone alone.

Efeito do campo magnetico na osteogenese: estudo experimental em ratos / Effect of eletromagnetic fields on the osteogenesis: an experimental study in rats

Os autores estudaram experimentalmente os efeitos de campos eletromagneticos pulsateis num modelo experimental de ratos, para a avaliacao da velocidade de consolidacao de fraturas da tibia e da fibula. Os animais foram mantidos por um periodo de tres semanas sob estimulacao continua, tendo sido feita avaliacao radiologica semanal e exame histologico no final deste periodo. Os resultados nao mostraram diferencas histologicas, clinicas ou radiologicas entre o grupo submetidos a estimulacao e o grupo controle.

Estimulacao eletrica funcional na locomocao reciproca do paciente paraplegico por trauma raquimedular / Functional electrical stimulation in the reciprocal locomotion of paraplegic patients by spinal cord injuries

A estimualcao eletrica funcional e um recurso terapeutico que busca melhorar o desempenho dos pacientes paraplegicos nas atividades de ortostatismo e marcha. Foram tratados cinco pacientes do sexo masculino, idades entre 22-24 anos, portadores de lesao medular traumatica, nivel T5-T12, completa. O tempo de lesao variou entre 12 e 18 meses. Foram estimulados o musculo quadriceps e o nervo fibular, com um equipamento gerador de ondas retangulares, com frequencia e intensidade variaveis de acordo com o padrao de resposta de cada paciente. O tratamento foi realizado durante 2 meses, diariamente. O tempo de estimulo foi de 30 minutos em cada um dos locais estimulados. Apos o periodo de treinamento, dois dos pacientes, adquiriram ortostatismo e locomocao reciproca com o uso de ortese eletrica, permanecendo nessa posicao por periodos progressivamente maiores, sem sinais de fadiga muscular, nas barras paralelas. Um desses pacientes obteve marcha com andador. Dois dos pacientes nao conseguiram ortostatismo e um abandonou o tratamento. Embora os resultados preliminares ainda sejam pobres, em face da incapacidade do paciente, acredita-se que o aperfeicoamento da metodologia de uso e da tecnologia empregada poderao trazer subsidios na melhora funcional desses pacientes.