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Published on: November 11, 2022
Microstructural damage in arterial tissue exposed to repeated tensile strains
Neal Austin1, Lisa M DiFrancesco, Walter Herzog
1Faculty of Kinesiology, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
|February 2, 2010
Summary
This study found that rabbit arterial tissue, similar to the human vertebral artery (VA), showed no significant microstructural damage after repeated strain exposure mimicking cervical spinal manipulation. The findings suggest that the VA may tolerate such treatments without harm.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Vascular Biology
- Histopathology
Background:
- Spinal manipulative treatments (SMTs) of the neck have been anecdotally linked to vertebral artery (VA) damage.
- Limited data exist on the mechanics of the VA during SMT and potential long-term effects of repeated exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify microstructural damage in arterial tissue subjected to repeated strain loading.
- To simulate strains similar to those experienced by the VA during high-speed, low-amplitude cervical SMT.
Main Methods:
- Cadaveric rabbit ascending aorta specimens were divided into control and experimental groups.
- Specimens underwent 1000 strain cycles at 0.06 and 0.30 strain magnitudes.
- Quantitative histology assessed microstructural changes by a blinded pathologist.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in microstructural damage was observed between control and 0.06 strain groups (P = .406).
- The 0.30 strain group exhibited statistically significant microstructural damage compared to the control group (P = .024).
Conclusions:
- Cadaveric rabbit arterial tissue, comparable to human VA, withstood repeated strains similar to those during cervical SMT without significant microstructural damage.
- These findings suggest the vertebral artery may tolerate cervical SMT without incurring damage beyond control levels.
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