Experimental spinal cord trauma, I: Correlation of blood flow, tissue oxygen and neurologic status in the dog

Spinal cord blood flow and tissue oxygen were measured concurrently in a series of paraplegic dogs subjected to experimental spinal cord trauma. Injury to the spinal cord sufficient to cause clinical paraplegia is associated with a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in blood flow in the central spinal cord from 15.2 to 6.1 ml/min/100gms at two to three hours following injury. Also, at two and three hours post-injury, paraplegic dogs demonstrate a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in tissue oxygen levels from 35-39 mm Hg to 17-24 mm Hg. No significant changes occurred in systemic blood pressure or carotid blood flow. A delay often precedes the significant onset of blood flow and tissue oxygen alterations, which suggests that therapeutic efforts could be directed during this critical interval.