[Experimental study on effects of omental transposition in cats with spinal cord injury]

The effects of autogenous omental transposition on spinal cord injury in cats were examined using a cord crush injury model produced by a modification of Allen's weight-dropping technique. Twenty-three cats were divided into two groups: an omental transposition group, and a control group. The animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after injury. The injured cords were examined histologically using India ink perfusion, morphometry of the spinal cord cavities and also by somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) studies. After 1 week, hemorrhagic necrosis, cavitation and demyelination of almost the same extent and severity were noted in both groups. These changes diminished with time in the omental transposition group, but tended to persist in the control group. In the omental transposition group, fibrous coats of Goldsmith were newly formed on the injured cord between the incised dura edges. After 3 weeks, the fibrous coat was thickened with active proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen fibers. India ink particles were noticed within the fine vessels of the omentum, fibrous coat and injured cord at 4 weeks. No India ink particles were found in the control group even after 4 weeks. In the somatosensory evoked potentials, biphasic or triphasic waves noted before injury were absent immediately after trauma. At 3 and 4 weeks, 3 of 5 cats with the omentum showed reappearance of the waves, whereas no wave-reappearance was noted in the controls. These results suggest that autogenous omental transposition helps to accelerate the healing process after crush injury to the spinal cord.