Precision in Spinal Cord Injury Research: A Novel Electromagnetic Impactor for a Consistent Porcine Model

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Animal Models

Background:

• Standardized large animal models are essential for translating spinal cord injury (SCI) therapeutics.
• Current lack of commercial, standardized devices hinders reproducible SCI research in large animals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and validate a custom impactor device for inducing repeatable contusion SCI in porcine models.
• To establish a reliable method for modulating SCI severity in large animals for preclinical research.

Main Methods:

• Custom impactor device fabrication and mechanical modeling for calibration.
• Benchtop verification of impact force, velocity, and kinetic energy.
• In vivo validation using porcine models with ultrasound imaging and histological analysis (H&E staining).

Main Results:

• The device demonstrated repeatable impact velocities and forces (12.8–67.6 N) with minimal error.
• Modulation of injury severity was achieved through parameter adjustments, confirmed by imaging and histology.
• Porcine neurological motor (PNM) scores indicated varied injury severities in survival studies.

Conclusions:

• The developed impactor device offers a significant advancement for creating titratable contusion SCI in large animal models.
• This tool is vital for the preclinical evaluation of novel SCI therapies.
• Enables more reproducible and translatable research in the field of spinal cord injury.