Radiofrequency as a lesioning model in experimental spinal cord injury

Many models have been developed to study spinal cord injury (SCI), such as cryogenic lesioning, hot water injury, scalpel lesioning, compressive trauma using clips, electromechanical devices, extradural cuffs, and weight-drop techniques. In this study, the radiofrequency (RF) lesion was used for inducing an experimental SCI in cats. The neuropathology was correlated with the MRI. In this model, 4 cats were injured at the thoracic spinal cord (T11-T12) with a lesion of 65 degrees C for 1 min using a micromanipulated penetrating RF electrode. The MRI of the lesions after 2, 3, 5, and 6 weeks post-injury as well as the correlative histological changes were obtained. The RF-induced lesion was discrete with little spreading across the spinal cord. There was a good correlation between the histopathology findings and the MRI. We conclude that experimental RF lesioning of the spinal cord can produce a consistent lesion with predictable histopathological changes in experimental animals. A 65 degree C injury for 1 min induced a clinical picture of an incomplete SCI. The RF lesioning should be considered as a new model to study SCI, particularly those with a penetrating component.