JOURNAL HOME CME HOME THIS MONTH PAST ISSUES ETOC COLLECTIONS
AUTHORS REVIEWERS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK RSS HELP
A&A International Anesthesia Research Society
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a colleague
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Van Remoortere, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Adriaensen, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Van Remoortere, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Adriaensen, H.

Anesth Analg 2007;104:1236-1245
© 2007 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000260319.12133.89

PAIN MECHANISMS

Refinement of Symptoms of Neuropathic Pain Measurements After Various Transections of the Nerve Endings of the Sciatic and Femoral Nerve in Rats: An Exploratory Behavioral Analysis

Marie P. Van Remoortere, MD*, Theo F. Meert, PhD, PhD{dagger}, Kris C. Vissers, MD, PhD, FIPP{ddagger}, Hans Coppenolle, PhD§, and Hugo Adriaensen, MD, PhD*

From the *Department of Anesthesiology, University hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium; {dagger}CNS, Pain and Alzheimer Discovery, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium; {ddagger}Department of Anesthesiology and Palliative Care, UMC St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; and § Department of Biometrics & Clinical Informatics, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Prof. Dr. K. Vissers, Hoogleraar Palliatieve Zorg, UMC St Radboud, Huispost 550 Anesthesiologie/Palliatieve Zorg, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen Route 548, Netherland. Address e-mail to k.vissers{at}anes.umcn.nl.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many animal models can be used to study the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropathic pain. Most of these models rely on a partial denervation of the limb of the animal by ligating a selected nerve. In this study, we performed nerve lesions on three peripheral nerves supplying the plantar side of the rat hindpaw by differentially transecting the saphenous, the tibial, and the sural nerves alone or in paired combinations.

METHODS: The development of neuropathic pain symptoms at three different anatomical areas (medial, central, and lateral) of the glabrous skin of the hindpaw was evaluated by sensory testing over a 12-wk period. Mechanical hyperalgesia (pinprick), cold allodynia (acetone), and abnormalities of hindpaw posture were continuously present in animals with tibial and tibial and saphenous nerve transection.

RESULTS: Transection of the tibial and sural nerves induced cold allodynia and moderate mechanical hyperalgesia. Transection of the sural, the saphenous, or both nerves simultaneously induced no signs of specific neuropathic pain behavior and no abnormalities in posture of the affected hindpaw were noted after adequate stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS: The overlapping innervation of nerve distribution can complicate the interpretation of nerve ligation studies of peripheral neuropathies.






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 2007 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.