Viscoelastic Relaxation and Regional Blood Flow Response to Spinal Cord Compression and Decompression

Abstract

Despite rapid cord relaxation of more than 50% within 5 minutes after maximum compression, somatosensory evoked potential conduction recovered only with early decompression. Spinal cord decompression was associated with an early recovery of regional spinal cord blood flow and somatosensory evoked potential recovery. By 3 hours, spinal cord blood flow was similar in both the compressed and decompressed groups, despite that somatosensory evoked potential recovery occurred only in the decompressed group.