Generating a Mouse Model with a Spinal Cord Injury

Begin with an anesthetized mouse with hair removed on the dorsal side.

Apply ointment to prevent corneal dryness.

Sequentially sterilize the skin using betadine, followed by ethanol.

Inject local anesthesia at the incision site.

Locate the thoracic or T13 vertebra by identifying the last floating ribs. Then, identify vertebrae T8-T12 and make a midline incision.

Remove subcutaneous fat tissue to access the paraspinal muscles.

Clear these muscles to expose the vertebral laminae.

Dissect the laminae of the T9-T10 vertebrae to access the spinal cord.

Transect the spinal cord completely to induce a spinal cord injury or SCI.

Place a piece of subcutaneous fat over the surgical site to protect the spinal cord.

Suture the muscles and connective tissue, then close the skin incision.

The SCI Mouse model is now ready for further studies.

Anesthetize the animals and apply the ophthalmic ointment to the corneas to protect the eyes from drying during the surgical procedure. Then scrub the animal skin three times each with betadine scrub and 70% ethanol.

Before incision, use a syringe with a 25 gauge needle to inject 100 microliters of 0.125% bupivicaine around the incision site as analgesia. Count back from the floating ribs that correspond to T13 to identify T8 to T12. After creating a 1 to 1.5 centimeter incision along the midline on the back at the level of T8 to T12 vertebra, clear the subcutaneous adipose tissue to access the paraspinal muscles. And then dissect them slowly to expose the spinous processes and lamina on both sides.

It is very critical to do this procedure very carefully to avoid excessive bleeding and any injury to the spinal cord.

Perform a laminectomy of the T9 to T10 vertebrae to expose the spinal cord by gently peeling off the spinal lamina using micro-dissecting forceps. Use forceps to secure and lift the spinal column at T8 to exaggerate the spinal curvature. Then use fine scissors to section the spinal cord between the T9 and T10 vertebrae, all the way to the floor of the vertebral canal to ensure complete transection.

After observing the complete transection under a surgical microscope, apply a piece of subcutaneous fat over the laminectomy site to provide additional protection to the spinal cord prior to surgical site closure. Finally, close the wound and suture the paravertebral muscles and superficial fascia. Then close the skin using suture clips.