Abstract

We are developing a novel means of restoring function after severe acute spinal cord injury. This involves a brief application of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the site of injury. In the companion paper, we have shown that a delayed application of PEG can produce strikingly significant physiological and behavioral recovery in 90-100 % of spinal-cord-injured guinea pigs. In the present paper, we used three-dimensional computer reconstructions of PEG-treated and sham-treated spinal cords to determine whether the pathological character of a 1-month-old injury is ameliorated by application of PEG. Using a novel isocontouring algorithm, we show that immediate PEG treatment and treatment delayed by up to 7 h post-injury statistically increased the volume of intact spinal parenchyma and reduced the amount of cystic cavitation. Furthermore, in PEG-treated animals, the lesion was more focal and less diffuse throughout the damaged segment of the spinal cord, so that control cords showed a significantly extended lesion surface area. This three-dimensional computer evaluation showed that the functional recovery produced by topical application of a hydrophilic polymer is accompanied by a reduction in spinal cord damage.