The Effects of Moderate Hypothermia and Intrathecal Tetracaine on Glutamate Concentrations of Intrathecal Dialysate and Neurologic and Histopathologic Outcome in Transient Spinal Cord Ischemia in Rabbits
Hiroya Wakamatsu, Mishiya Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Nakakimura, and Takefumi Sakabe
Anesth Analg, 1999
New Zealand White rabbits implanted with an intrathecal dialysis probe were assigned to receive normothermia, tetracaine, or moderate hypothermia. Spinal cord ischemia was produced by occlusion of the abdominal aorta during anesthesia. Glutamate concentrations were significantly lower in those that received moderate hypothermia compared to those that received normothermia or tetracaine. Neurologic status and histopathology in the moderate hypothermia group were significantly better than the other two groups. Intrathecal tetracaine does not provide any protection against ischemic spinal cord injury, whereas moderate hypothermia does.