PURPOSE: To develop a new rat model of postthoracotomy pain for investigating its mechanisms and clarifying neurochemical changes. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups that underwent either fourth and fifth intercostal nerve ligation, cutting of the fourth and fifth ribs, or a sham operation in which only pleura was cut. For behavioural response assessment during the following month, pinch and touch were used as mechanical stimuli, and acetone was used as a cold thermal stimulus. In addition, (125)I-substance P autoradiography was used to determine neurokinin (NK) receptor density in spinal cord laminae I and II at one to six weeks after surgery. RESULTS: In rats with nerve ligation, hypersensitivity to noxious and non-noxious stimuli continued throughout the month. The "mirror phenomenon" was observed. The lowest threshold was obtained in the dorsomedial portion of the T4 dermatome on the side of surgery. In rats with rib cutting, a lowered threshold to noxious and non-noxious stimuli was observed for two weeks. In rats with sham operations, hypersensitivity was seen only at postoperative day one. NK-1 receptor density on the side of operation increased significantly in rats with nerve ligation from day seven to 28. Receptor density was highest on day 14 (22.97 +/- 1.04 fmol x mg(-1) tissue vs. control, 16.22 +/- 0.43), representing a 50% receptor excess on the side of ligation compared to the contralateral side. CONCLUSION: Intercostal nerve damage induces long-term postthoracotomy pain and an increase of spinal NK-1 receptors in rats. This model may be useful for investigation of postthoracotomy pain.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Role of autonomic nervous system in autoregulation of human cerebral circulation.

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Autonomic Nervous System↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nationwide co-operative study of intracranial aneurysm surgery in Japan.

A cooperative study was made of 4750 intracranial aneurysm cases collected from 133 neurosurgical clinics in Japan by letter inquiry for the period of 2 years from January 1974 to December 1975. Among them, 4124 cases (87%) had a single aneurysm, and 626 cases (13%) had multiple ones. Direct radical surgery was done in 78% of all cases, carotid ligation in 2% and non-surgical treatment in 17%. Direct surgery in a mortality rate of 15% for ruptured aneurysm cases and 7% for nonruptured cases. Radical surgery within 24 hours after rupture had a mortality of 51%, while those within 1 week and 2 weeks were 39% and 30% respectively; grade I or II patients, however, showed much better surgical results even in early operations. The neurosurgical clinics included in this study were spread throughout most of Japan. Micro-surgical technic was already in use of aneurysm surgery at the time of this study in Japan.

Adolescent↗