Therapeutic Hypothermia Following Traumatic Spinal Injury: Morphological and Functional Correlates.
Abstract
The general purpose of experiments carried out during the first year focused on the neuroprotective effects of systemic hypothermia and pharmacological treatments following moderate and severe spinal cord injury. In these experiments moderate hypothermia was initiated 30 minutes versus 2 hours post-injury. In anticipation of future therapeutic applications of combined treatment protocols a second purpose of experiments during the first year was to determine the neuroprotective effects of various neurotrophic factors and cytokines. Finally, efforts were made to establish the relationship between epidural and systemic (rectal) temperature prior to and post-injury. The major findings of these studies have shown that significant neuroprotection can be achieved with moderate systemic hypothermia or intraparenchymal infusion of bFGF following moderate injury. No significant neuroprotective effects were found with hypothermia following severe injury. Furthermore, no significant neuroprotection was achieved in animals when either treatment was started 2-3 hours post-injury. Finally, it was determined that epidural temperature was consistently higher, i.e. approximately two degrees, above systemic temperature and increased two degrees post-injury. The results thus support the original hypothesis of this proposal that it is possible to achieve significant neuroprotection with moderate whole body hypothermia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA339598
Entities
People
- Robert P. Yezierski
Organizations
- University of Miami