Effects of Vertebral Column Distraction on Transcranial Electrical Stimulation-Motor Evoked Potential and Histology of the Spinal Cord in a Porcine Model

Abstract

Parallel distraction of approximately 3.6% of the thoracolumbar length after global osteotomy resulted in spinal cord injury and histological evidence of spinal cord damage. The pattern of recovery from the spinal cord injury after release of the distraction was consistent with the degree of axonal damage. Axotomy was observed in animals that exhibited no recovery on TES-MEP, and only hemorrhagic changes in the white matter were observed in animals that exhibited incomplete recovery.