Simple and Practical Approach to the Thoracic Spinal Cord in Rat

5Student Research Committee، Isfahan University of Medical Sciences، Isfahan، Iran Spinal cord injury (SCI) has become an especially challenging target in experimental neuroscience. Approach into the spinal cord is the interface among all different types of spinal cord injury modeling. The lower thoracic spinal cord has generated special interest due to the lower limbs’ spinal pattern generator position and presence of relative scales for behavioral assessment. However، a clear method with which to approach the thoracic spinal cord has yet to be determined. A total of 20 animals were subjected to this study. Following induction of anesthesia، the 10th thoracic vertebra were positioned، and muscles were retracted. Using the high speed rotary، the vertebral lamina were carefully thinned. As a final point، the reduced lamina was meticulously removed away to expose underlying spinal cord. Loco motor behavioral test (BBB) was implemented before and after surgery procedure. This manuscript has presented the stepwise method to expose rat thoracic spinal cord. Whole procedure took less than an hour. Animals acquired complete BBB loco motor rating score before and after surgery; indicating the safety of procedure. This article introduces simple and practical approach for the rat lower thoracic spine. The anatomical orientation، anesthesia، postoperative management، and common problems are discussed.