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PubMed1999

Lobular capillary hemangioma of the cauda equina. Case report.

This 56-year-old woman presented with a 1-year history of low-back pain, sciatica, and paresthesias in the right S-1 dermatome. On examination the patient was shown to have a right-sided Lasegue's sign, normal strength, hypalgesia in the right S-1 dermatome, and a slight diminution of the right Achilles tendon reflex. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 2-cm intradural enhancing lesion at the level of the L-4 vertebra. Laminectomy of L3-L5 vertebrae was performed, and intradural exploration disclosed a blueberry-appearing tumor that was surrounded by an intense arachnoiditis and attached to the right S-1 nerve root. A cystic collection of cerebrospinal fluid was seen caudal to the tumor. Complete removal required transection of the adherent nerve root fascicles. Histological analyses indicate that the lesion was a lobular capillary hemangioma, which, to the authors' knowledge, appears to be one of the first recorded examples of such a case.

Cauda Equina↗
PubMed1999

Intravascular lymphomatosis presenting as an ascending cauda equina: conus medullaris syndrome: remission after biweekly CHOP therapy.

A 63 year old man developed dysaesthesia in the legs followed by a subacute ascending flaccid paraparesis with sacral sensory and autonomic involvement. Intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) was favoured by the presence of low grade fever and raised serum C reactive protein, CSF pleocytosis, raised lymphoma markers (serum LDH, soluble IL-2 receptor), and steroid responsiveness. Only muscle, among several organ biopsies, confirmed IVL. A cytogenetic study of the bone marrow showed chromosome 6 monosomy, as previously reported. The monosomy of chromosome 19, which bears the intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, newly found in this case, may be related to the unique tumour embolisation of IVL. The CHOP regimen (six courses in 12 weeks) using granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) led to gradual resolution of myeloradiculopathy and laboratory supported remission lasting for more than 13 months. The biweekly CHOP with G-CSF support may be a choice of chemotherapy in averting rapidly fatal IVL.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1995

[Functional rehabilitation of the urinary bladder after transection of cauda equina].

12 dogs were divided into three groups of L4 root crossover anastomosis S2 root, sacral root free anastomosis and control. All dogs received urodynamic test before and after operation and before sacrifice. The results of cystometry demonstrated the detrusor reflex had returned 7 months after operation in two groups of nerve renovation. The characteristics of axonal regeneration were revealed by immunohisto-cytochemistry and the count of nerve fibres numbers was compared with that by morphometric analysis in proximal and distal end of anastometric stoma. The comparison displayed a significant difference between nerve anastomosis groups and control group. Neural tracing study with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in two dogs with the operation of L4 crossover S2 showed that lumbar somatic motor axons had regenerated successfully into the bladder and replaced previous sacral parasym-pathetic. Urethral sphincter function was still poor and urethral pressure was not changed post-operatively, though the electromyograme showed some improvement. The method of lumbar root or free sacral root anastomosis with sacral root is practicable for restoration of bladder function.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1991

Cauda equina compression associated with breast cancer. A case study in differential diagnosis.

The determination of the etiology of spinal cord compression in cancer patients is essential for appropriate therapy. Patients with metastatic disease are not immune to the development of superimposed nonmalignant disease. Although metastatic epidural compression may occur in up to 9% of breast cancer patients, care must be taken to rule out other nonmetastatic lesions causing compression. The association of concurrent breast carcinoma and a spinal neurilemoma simulating a metastatic lesion seems not to have been previously reported. A neurilemoma was observed in a 50-year-old woman. A neurilemoma suspected to be a metastatic lesion may produce the clinical features of pain, neurologic deficit, and weakness. Differentiation will be aided by roentgenograms, radionuclide bone scans, computed tomography, and possible magnetic resonance imaging. Radiologic differentiation hinges on the recognition and the slow-growing nature and noninvasive boundaries of the nonmalignant lesion. Ultimate verification is by biopsy. Treatment should consist of neurectomy, if severely symptomatic, and stabilization as indicated.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1991

[Mono-radiculopathy multiplex--multiple infarction of the cauda equina caused by intravascular lymphomatosis].

A 55-year-old man had felt numbness of the bilateral peroneal sides of legs for 6 months. Then hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, body weight loss and fever developed, and a diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis (MH) was made by revealing the presence of innumerable atypical histiocytes with hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow. Soon later, sensory disturbance of bilateral peroneal sides of legs (right side dominant) developed and aggravated with painful dysesthesia and weakness of the legs for the last 2 weeks before death. Electrophysiologically, sensory conduction velocity of the sural nerve was normal and somatosensory evoked potentials from tibial nerve were normal before P15 but were not evoked at all after the lumbar potential, suggesting lumbosacral radiculopathy. Autopsy showed multifocal ischemic lesions and secondary degeneration of the lumbosacral nerve roots associated with necrosis and fibrosis of the radicular vessels and intravascular infiltration of atypical mononuclear cells which were positive for B cell markers. The neurological manifestations and the distribution of ischemic lesions, which were similar to those of vasculopathic mononeuropathy multiplex, would deserve the name of "monoradiculopathy multiplex".

Cauda Equina↗
PubMed1990

Urethral function after chronic cauda equina lesion in cats. II. The role of autonomically-innervated smooth and striated muscle in distal sphincter dysfunction.

We investigated the possibility that distal sphincter dysfunction after chronic sacral rhizotomy in the cat might be due to altered sympathetic influences on smooth and striated muscle. Three months after rhizotomy, sympathetic influences on basal perfusion pressure in the distal sphincteric urethra were significantly decreased. A prazosin-sensitive component of basal perfusion pressure remained after section of all extrinsic urethral innervation in both control and chronic cats. Local intra-arterial 6-hydroxydopamine also abolished this component. After rhizotomy, noradrenaline content in the distal sphincteric urethra was significantly increased but there was no evidence of a change in sensitivity to sympathetic stimulation. A novel prazosin- and atropine-resistant component of the response to hypogastric nerve stimulation was seen in the rhabdosphincteric urethra of chronic cats. This component was abolished by atracurium or hexamethonium. It was significantly greater in cats with S1-3 as compared to S2-3 lesions and was never seen in control cats. It is concluded that autonomic activation of the rhabdosphincter could be a factor in distal sphincter obstruction.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Somatosensory potentials evoked by magnetic stimulation of lumbar roots, cauda equina, and leg nerves.

Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were studied by noninvasive magnetic stimulation at T-10, T-12, and L-5 vertebral levels and in mid-gluteus muscle and ankle in 27 normal subjects and 7 patients with neurological diseases. Cortical components P2 and N2 were recorded in all normal subjects. The mean peak latencies of P2 were 20.3 +/- 0.9 (standard deviation), 21.1 +/- 1.2, 23.5 +/- 1.4, 27.9 +/- 2.0, and 38.1 +/- 1.8 msec at the T-10, T-12, L-5, midgluteal and ankle sites of stimulation, respectively. No substantial difference in morphology of P2 and N2 was seen between magnetic and electrical stimulation at T-12. Amplitudes of P2 and N2 were maximal after magnetic stimulation at motor threshold. P2 and N2 may originate from the sensory cortex. P2 and N2 evoked by T-10 and T-12 stimulation were normal in peak latency and morphology in patients with polyneuropathy or polyradiculoneuropathy. Peak latencies of P2 and N2 evoked by T-10 and T-12 stimulation were significantly delayed in patients with myelopathy. The patients with radiculopathy showed a delayed peak latency and conduction time of P2 evoked by L-5 stimulation. Magnetic stimulation of spinal root is able to detect lesions of spinal cord noninvasively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Cauda equina syndrome secondary to idiopathic spinal epidural lipomatosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Three cases of idiopathic epidural lipomatosis are reported. OBJECTIVES: Description of the relationship between spinal pathologic overgrowth of fat tissue and neurologic symptoms. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Idiopathic epidural lipomatosis is a very rare condition; it is usually secondary to chronic steroid therapy or endocrinopathic diseases. METHODS: Three men with a mean age of 58.5 years, who experienced intermittent claudication, bilateral radicular pain in both legs, and urinary dysfunction with hypoesthesia in the perineal region, were evaluated by plain radiography and magnetic resonance imaging, the results of which demonstrated a pathologic overgrowth of fat tissue in the spinal canal with a marked impingement of the dural sac. Obesity, endocrinopathic diseases, and chronic steroid therapy were excluded for all patients. Surgical treatment was performed by wide multilevel laminectomies, fat debulking, and instrumented posterolateral fusion. RESULTS: After surgery there was a gradual improvement in symptoms and signs so that 2 years later the patients returned to daily activities and were neurologically normal. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal epidural lipomatosis can be a cause of back pain but rarely radicular impingement. Magnetic resonance imaging is the procedure of choice. The treatment must be performed early by wide surgical decompression.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Urethral function after chronic cauda equina lesions in cats. I. The contribution of mechanical factors and sympathetic innervation to proximal sphincter dysfunction.

We investigated the contribution of mechanical and sympathetic neural factors to proximal urethral sphincter dysfunction in the cat after chronic sacral rhizotomy. Concomitant vesicostomy prevented a decrease in the urethral pressure profile measured three months post-rhizotomy. Sympathetic influences on basal urethral perfusion pressure were the same in neurally-intact and chronic rhizotomised cats. A significant prazosin-sensitive component of basal urethral perfusion pressure remained after section of all extrinsic urethral innervation in both neurally-intact and chronic cats. Local intra-arterial 6-hydroxydopamine also abolished this component. After rhizotomy, noradrenaline content in the proximal urethra was significantly increased but there was no change in sensitivity to sympathetic stimulation. A small (5% of control) atropine-sensitive and prazosin-resistant constriction was seen only after chronic sacral rhizotomy. We conclude that a mechanical factor associated with bladder expression and not an alteration in sympathetic control is the major factor leading to diminished proximal urethral closure after vesicourethral lower motor neuron lesion. Furthermore, short adrenergic neurons have an important role in the maintenance of urethral pressure in the normal state and after lower motor neuron lesion.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Myxopapillary ependymoma of the filum terminale and cauda equina in childhood: report of seven cases and review of the literature.

Seven of fourteen children with spinal cord ependymoma had myxopapillary tumors of the filum terminale. These tumors made up 15.9% of all primary spinal neuroectodermal tumors in children (44 cases) seen during a 62-year period (1919 to 1981). Their clinical presentation, radiological features, pathological findings, treatment, and outcome are reported. Six of the seven patients were known to be alive at the time of writing. The seventh patient was lost to follow-up after 3 years without tumor recurrence. Of 5 patients whose primary mode of treatment was operation alone. 3 had intraspinal or intracranial recurrences. Despite tumor recurrences, 2 patients were long term survivors after further operation and irradiation, whereas the third patient recently received craniospinal irradiation for intracranial tumor recurrence. The 2 patients who did not have tumor recurrence after operation alone had been followed for 3 and 7 years, respectively. Two children with subtotal tumor resection and spinal irradiation had no recurrences at 1 and 17 years, respectively. Our data suggest that this unusual subtype of spinal ependymoma is not uncommon during childhood and has a good prognosis. All patients with this tumor require prolonged follow-up for tumor recurrence after operation and irradiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Glial reactions in a rodent cauda equina injury and repair model.

In the adult rat, an avulsion injury of lumbosacral ventral roots results in a progressive and pronounced loss of the axotomized motoneurons. A subsequent acute implantation of an avulsed ventral root into the spinal cord has neuroprotective effects. However, it has not been known whether a surgical implantation of an avulsed ventral root into the spinal cord for neural repair purposes affects intramedullary glial and microglial reactions. Here, adult female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent a unilateral L5-S2 ventral root avulsion injury with or without acute implantation of the L6 ventral root into the spinal cord. At 4 weeks postoperatively, immunohistochemistry using primary antibodies to GFAP (astrocytes), Ox-42 (microglia), and ED-1 (macrophages) was performed at the L6 spinal cord segment, and quantified using densitometry. Our results show that a lumbosacral ventral root avulsion injury induces an activation of astrocytes, microglia, and macrophages in the ventral horn. Interestingly, an acute implantation of an avulsed root into the white matter does not significantly affect the activation of glial cells or macrophages in the ventral horn. We speculate that neuroprotective and axonal growth promoting benefits of the combined glial and microglial/ macrophage responses may outweigh their potential negative effects, as previous studies have shown that implantation of avulsed roots is a successful strategy in promoting reinnervation of peripheral targets.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Racemous cysticercosis of the cauda equina and cystic arachnoiditis. Apropos of 2 cases].

Central nervous system infection by the larval form of the pork tapeworm, taenia solium is a major public health problem in view of its prevalence. The high incidence of neurocysticercosis in Reunion Island has been precised by computerized tomography and Elisa test. Spinal involvement is an uncommon form of cysticercosis, occurring with a frequency of less than 1% in large series. The types of involvement that are most common are subarachnoid cysts which appear as intradural extramedullary masses and meningeal reaction with appearance of arachnoiditis at myelography. Intramedullary involvement is less frequent. Epidural and subpial masses have been reported very rarely. The authors report the two first cases of spinal cysticercosis in Reunion Island which are both extramedullary leptomeningeal forms. A radicular syndrome was present in both cases; incontinence and sacral hemihypoesthesia in one case. Myelography showed lumbosacral arachnoid cysts. Immunodiagnostic tests were positive in blood and C.S.F. in the two cases. Laminectomy was performed and the arachnoid membrane appeared opaque and thickened; the cysts were removed. Microscopically the cystic wall had a thin and curved cuticle, no scolex was found. Treatment was completed with the anti-helminthic agent Praziquantel. Full recovery was observed in one case. In the other case low back pain spread out to the lower extremities with a non radicular distribution and was associated with lumbosacral spinal fibrosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Function of the conus medullaris and cauda equina in the early period following spinal cord injury and the relationship to recovery of detrusor function.

A total of 26 patients with an early suprasacral spinal cord injury underwent comprehensive neurourological evaluation to determine if there was any correlation between the return of detrusor function and neural function of the sacral cord. In addition, the incidence of a subclinical sacral neural dysfunction early after spinal cord injury was assessed. Lumbosacral evoked potentials to tibial nerve stimulation were used to assess the sensory root and cord gray matter of the L5 to S2 segments, while urodynamic evaluation was performed to assess detrusor function. Of those patients with normal lumbosacral evoked potentials 82% recovered detrusor contractility as opposed to 66% with abnormal evoked potentials. Four patients (23.5%) had persistent detrusor areflexia when studied 9 to 20 months following the acute injury. The potential problems attempting to correlate the neurophysiological and urodynamic studies are multiple and are extensively discussed. Despite these potential problems the return of detrusor function correlated well with associated normal lumbosacral evoked potentials suggesting that this test can be used in the early phase following spinal cord injury to predict return of bladder function, since it is independent of the level of spinal cord excitability. Of the patients studied 38% had coexistence of an occult lumbosacral dysfunction. This rate is higher than that found in the chronic stabilized spinal cord injury population (20.5%), since the cases in our study may represent a more severe lesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Age, outcome, and rehabilitation costs after paraplegia caused by traumatic injury of the thoracic spinal cord, conus medullaris, and cauda equina.

The object of this study was to investigate the relationships of age on neurologic and functional outcome, hospitalization length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges after spinal cord injury (SCI). At 20 medical centers, 2,169 consecutive adult patients with paraplegia SCI were assessed in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation. Outcome and treatment measures included the ASIA motor index score, functional independence measure, discharge to community ratio, LOS, and hospital charges. Age differences were examined by separating the sample into 11 age categories and conducting one-way analyses of variance on treatment, medical expense, and outcome measures that included the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and ASIA motor index scores. Cramer's statistic was used to derive a chi-square value that indicated whether variables differed significantly in terms of age. Post-hoc Tukey tests were also performed. Age-related differences were found with multiple demographic variables. Significant differences between age categories were found with regard to the following treatment measures: ASIA motor index scores at acute-care admission and at discharge, rehabilitation LOS, inpatient rehabilitation hospitalization charges, total LOS, total hospitalization charges, FIM scores at inpatient rehabilitation admission and discharge, FIM change, and FIM efficiency. In conclusion, in patients with paraplegia, age appears to adversely affect functional outcome, rehabilitation LOS, and hospital costs. However, neurologic recovery as defined by the ASIA motor scores does not appear to be related to age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Ependymomas of the spinal cord and cauda equina: An analysis of 26 cases and a review of the literature.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. OBJECTIVES: To clarify the clinical features of patients with spinal ependymomas and to compare the clinical results between the patients in whom microsurgical technique and spinal cord monitoring were used intraoperatively and the patients in whom they were not used. SETTING: Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive patients with spinal ependymomas were treated surgically between 1958 and 1995. All patients underwent tumor resection through a posterior approach. Complete tumor resection was possible in 15 patients (57. 7%), and subtotal tumor resection (more than 90%) was done in two patients (7.7%). Only a partial tumor resection (less than 90%) was performed in the remainder of the patients (34.6%). The operative results of the patients were evaluated by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scoring System (JOA score) and its recovery rate. RESULTS: The overall average recovery rate was 18.3%. The mean recovery rate was 14.4% in cervical lesion, 11.1% in thoracic lesion and 40% in lumbar lesion. The recovery rate of eight patients with cervical ependymomas who underwent tumor resection under both microscopic surgical procedure and intraoperative spinal cord monitoring was 37.1% although the recovery rate of the rest of the patients was -1.6%. There was a statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.02). The survival rate of patients following complete excision was statistically better compared to that of patients after incomplete resection. CONCLUSION: Both microsurgical technique and spinal cord monitoring are indispensable to achieve total removal of ependymomas and to obtain improvement of neurological recovery.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Modified anteriolateral retroperitoneal approach for surgical treatment of patients with compression of the cauda equina and lumbar nerve roots (topographic anatomical study)].

Mini-invasive techniques have been increasingly used in lumbar surgery in the past decade, most commonly during operations on the intervertebral disks. However, mini-invasive interventions may be used as a modified traditional approach to treating more serious and challenging pathology, such as tumors of the lumbar vertebrae, metastatic disease, as well as lumbar fractures of different origin. In the literature, there are only several papers on the mini-invasive anterolateral retroperitoneal approach (ALMIRA) to corpectomy with repair of the lumbar spine. This paper deals with the autopsy of 15 cadavers (aged 55-83 years) and 5 blocks of the lumbar spine. The approach is described with illustrations being given. All the results are analyzed and shown in a table. Fifteen corpectomies of L2, L3, and L4 vertebrae were performed by ALMURA, using a self-retaining retractor. The duration of a procedure from skin incision to complete preparation of a spinal specimen for retractor's attachment averaged 50 min (30-70 min). The corpses were rotated in the axial plane at 45, 35, and 25 degrees for corpectomy of L2, L3, L4, respectively. The procedure was easier-to-use when convex binding of the spine was performed after the approach and before insertion of a retractor, in obese cases in particular. Damage to the peritoneum occurred in 5 cases, that to the ascending lumbar vein took place in 4 (during L4 corpectomy) and m. psoas in 2 cases, both in a cachectic cadaver. In the authors' opinion, the method is effective, but before applying it in the clinical theater, spinal surgeons should be well trained under experimental conditions.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

MR imaging of the cauda equina in hereditary motor sensory neuropathies: correlations with sural nerve biopsy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although spinal root abnormalities are known to occur, spinal MR examination is seldom performed in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies (HMSN). The following work was undertaken to assess the MR imaging spectrum of lumbosacral spinal nerve root abnormalities and determine whether intradural nerve root involvement could be related to any biopsy feature. METHODS: Ten consecutive patients (eight male, two female; age range, 28-65 yrs) with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) (type I = 5, type II = 2) and Déjèrine-Sottas disease (DSD) (n = 3) underwent a contrast-enhanced lumbosacral MR examination. Sural nerve biopsy was performed in all patients. Atypical clinical features were present in two patients. The MR scans of each patient were reviewed for possible causes of myeloradiculopathy, spinal nerve root and ganglia dimensions, signal change, and abnormal enhancement. RESULTS: In the seven patients with CMT, abnormal MR findings were intradural nerve root hypertrophy (n = 2), signal abnormalities (n = 2), and enhancement (n = 3). Two of three patients with DSD had the abnormal MR finding of intradural nerve root enhancement. In both patients with atypical clinical features, MR imaging showed nerve root hypertrophy and enhancement. Both findings were related to an increased number of onion bulbs at sural nerve biopsy. Inflammatory infiltrates were not observed in any patients. CONCLUSION: In patients with HMSN enhancement of intradural spinal nerve roots, whether or not associated with marked thickening, may be found on lumbosacral MR examinations. Spinal nerve root thickening may be responsible for atypical symptoms, and its visibility on MR images represents a useful adjunct to diagnosis. Lumbosacral spinal nerve root abnormalities were related to an extremely high number of onion bulbs (indicating active demyelination) at sural nerve biopsy. Nerve root enhancement does not seem to be related to inflammatory infiltrates.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Nerve vasculature changes induced by serotonin under chronic cauda equina compression.

STUDY DESIGN: An analysis of nerve vascular changes in nerve roots induced by serotonin in chronically compressed nerve roots. OBJECTIVES: To assess the hypotheses that serotonin might have a vasoconstrictive effect in chronically compressed nerve roots. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor is involved in serotonin-induced activation or sensitization of sensory nerve terminals. Serotonin exerts complex effects on pain and hyperalgesia through various receptor subtypes located at various levels of the pain transmission system. Serotonin induces endothelium-dependent contraction in vascular diseases. However, there is no knowledge regarding a response of nerve vasculature induced by serotonin in chronically compressed nerve roots. METHODS: A total of 45 dogs were used. A plastic balloon was placed under the lamina L7 and inflated to 10 mm Hg and left for 1 week. Four experimental groups were used: no operation (Group A, n = 15), the balloon was placed under the lamina but not inflated (Group B, n = 10), the balloon was inflated to 10 mm Hg for 1 week and the pressure was released just before the measurement (Group C, n = 10), and the balloon was inflated to 10 mm Hg for 1 week and inflation was maintained during the measurements (Group D, n = 10). The blood vessels of the second or third sacral nerve were defined after an intra-arterial injection of 0.5 micromol/L or 1.0 micromol/L serotonin using a specially designed operation microscope equipped with a video camera. In all groups 0.5 micromol/L serotonin (each group, n = 5) or 1.0 micromol/L serotonin (each group, n = 5) was injected. In Group A (n = 5) saline was injected. The measurements of diameter of observed blood vessels and blood flow index were performed on video recordings. All statistical assessments were performed by Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and Fisher's PLSD. RESULTS: In Group A, the diameter of blood vessels and blood flow did not change after administration of saline. In the noncompression groups (Groups A and B) the diameter of blood vessels and blood flow increased after injection of 0.5 micromol/L serotonin. In compression groups (Groups C and D) the blood vessels contracted after injecting 0.5 micromol/L serotonin and blood flow decreased. There was a significant difference in the diameter of blood vessels and blood flow between noncompression and compression groups (P < 0.01). There was no difference regarding diameter of blood vessels between released compression (Group C) and maintained compression during measurement group (Group D). In all groups blood vessels contracted and blood flow decreased after injecting 1.0 micromol/L. In electron microscopic observation tight junction of endothelial cells was destroyed in chronically compression nerve roots. DISCUSSION: The present study demonstrated that serotonin had a vasodilative effect on the intact nerve roots, whereas there was a vasoconstrictive effect to the chronically compressed nerve roots. There was no difference in the diameter of blood vessels between released compression and maintained compression during measurement group. Results suggested that dysfunction of endothelial cells induced by serotonin rather than mechanical compression itself might lead to contraction of blood vessels under chronic compression. CONCLUSION: Serotonin had a vasoconstrictive effect on the chronically compressed nerve roots.

Animals↗