[Animal model of grading skeletal muscle contusion due to blunt impact in rats]
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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
A Contusion Model of Severe Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Published on: August 17, 2013
Tian-Shui Yu1, Da-Wei Guan, Zi-Hui Cheng
1Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. yutianshui-2000@sohu.com
Objective:
To establish a new animal model of grading skeletal muscle contusions that could be controllable and repetitive.
Methods:
The rats' gastrocnemius was injured by a new weight-dropping device designed. The force acting on gastrocnemius with a comparatively constant duration and inducing elastic deformation of the gastrocnemius was expressed with velocity (v) and deformation (DF). Instant velocity was changed to create gastrocnemius contusions. Pathological changes of gastrocnemius were graded by the gross and histological examinations of 39 rats.
Results:
At low level of impact (v: 2 m/s, DF: 5.5 mm), mild injuries were detected in epimysium and superficial layer of gastrocnemius. At moderate level of impact (v: 2.5 m/s, DF: 6.5 mm), the injuries were observed in epimysium and whole gastrocnemius. At high level of impact (v: 3 m/s, DF: 7.5 mm), severe injuries were seen deeper to soleus with more extensive skeletal muscle damage.
Conclusion:
Grading of skeletal muscle blunt force contusion is created by parameter of velocity and muscle deformation. The model could be used for further research on skeletal muscle contusions.
