Bahtiyar Haberal1, Ekin Kaya Şimşek2, Koray Akpınar3, Duygu Türkbey Şimşek4, Fikret Şahintürk5

1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Beypazarı State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
4Department of Pathology, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
5Department of Neurosurgery, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

Keywords: Epidural fibrosis, laminectomy, radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy, rat

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) treatment in the prevention of epidural fibrosis after laminectomy in rats.

Materials and methods: Eighteen 16-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 g were used in this experimental study between November 2019 and February 2020. The rats were randomly divided into two groups as the control group (L3-L4 total laminectomy without any treatment) and the study group (L3-L4 total laminectomy plus rESWT). The rats were sacrificed at the postoperative sixth week and the lumbar spine was excised en bloc, fixed, and decalcified. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to evaluate epidural fibrosis, acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, and vascular proliferation.

Results: The median value and standard deviations were obtained based on histological examinations. Accordingly, epidural fibrosis decreased significantly in the study group compared to the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of acute and chronic inflammation response and vascular proliferation.

Conclusion: The rESWT application immediately after surgery is effective in preventing epidural fibrosis after laminectomy in rats.

Citation: Haberal B, Kaya Şimşek E, Akpınar K, Türkbey Şimşek D, Şahintürk F. Impact of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy in post-laminectomy epidural fibrosis in a rat model. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2021;32(1):162-169.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.