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Effects of intrathecal bupivacaine in conjunction with hypothermia on neuronal protection against transient spinal cord ischemia in rats
Author(s) -
Lee J.R.,
Han S.M.,
Leem J.G.,
Hwang S.J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2006.01163.x
Subject(s) - medicine , neuroprotection , bupivacaine , anesthesia , hypothermia , spinal cord , ischemia , saline , lumbar spinal cord , pharmacology , psychiatry
Background: Excitotoxic neuronal injury from ischemia may be reduced by local anesthetics. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of intrathecally administered bupivacaine and hypothermia in a rat model of transient spinal cord ischemia. Methods: PE‐10 intrathecal catheter‐implanted male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: normothermia (NT) and hypothermia (HT) groups (given 15 μl of normal saline) and bupivacaine (B) and bupivacaine–hypothermia (BHT) groups (given 15 μl of 0.5% bupivacaine). Transient spinal cord ischemia was induced by inflation of a 2F Fogarty catheter placed in the aortic arch for 12 min. The rectal temperature was maintained at 37.0 ± 0.5 °C for the NT and B groups, and at 34.5 ± 0.5 °C for the HT and BHT groups. Motor and sensory deficit scores were assessed 2 and 24 h after reperfusion. Lumbar spinal cords were harvested for histopathology and immunoreactivity of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Results: After reperfusion, the motor and sensory deficit scores of the NT group were significantly higher than those of the HT ( P < 0.05) and BHT ( P < 0.001) groups. Significant differences were evident in the motor and sensory deficit scores between the HT and BHT groups at 24 h ( P < 0.05). Neuronal cell death and immunoreactivity of HSP70 were frequently observed in the NT and BT groups, but not in the HT and BHT groups. Conclusions: These results collectively suggest that intrathecal bupivacaine does not provide neuroprotection during normothermic transient spinal cord ischemia in rats, but enhances the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia.