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Neuropathological changes in vibration injury: An experimental study
Author(s) -
Matloub Hani S.,
Yan JiGeng,
Kolachalam Ramachandra B.,
Zhang LinLing,
Sanger James R.,
Riley Danny A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.20081
Subject(s) - medicine , myelin , neurovascular bundle , electron microscope , vibration , pathology , anatomy , central nervous system , physics , optics , quantum mechanics
Vibration syndrome, a clinical condition arising from chronic use of vibrating tools, is associated with a spectrum of neurovascular symptoms. To date, only its vascular pathology has been extensively studied; we sought to determine what direct neurologic injury, if any, is caused by vibration. Hindlimbs of anesthetized rats were affixed to a vibrating platform 4 h a day for 7 days. Study animals were vibrated with set parameters for frequency, acceleration, velocity, and amplitude; control animals were not vibrated. On day 7, nerves were studied by light and electron microscopy. While light microscopy showed minimal histologic differences between vibrated (n = 12) and control (n = 12) nerves, electron microscopic changes were dramatic. Splitting of the myelin sheath and axonal damage (e.g., myelin balls and “finger ring”) were consistently seen in both myelinated and nonmyelinated axons. Despite relatively short vibration, definite pathology was demonstrated, suggesting that vibration syndrome has a direct neurologic component. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 25:71–75, 2005.