Accelerated recovery of sensorimotor function in a dog submitted to quasi-total transection of the cervical spinal cord and treated with PEG

Abstract

Background:A case report on observing the recovery of sensory-motor function after cervical spinal cord transection.Case Description:Laminectomy and transection of cervical spinal cord (C5) was performed on a male beagle weighing 3.5 kg. After applying polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the severed part, reconstruction of cervical spinal cord was confirmed by the restoration of sensorimotor function. Tetraplegia was observed immediately after operation, however, the dog showed stable respiration and survival without any complication. The dog showed fast recovery after 1 week, and recovered approximately 90% of normal sensorimotor function 3 weeks after the operation, although urinary disorder was still present. All recovery stages were recorded by video camera twice a week for behavioral analysis.Conclusion:While current belief holds that functional recovery is impossible after a section greater than 50% at C5-6 in the canine model, this case study shows the possibility of cervical spinal cord reconstruction after near-total transection. Furthermore, this case study also confirms that PEG can truly expedite the recovery of sensorimotor function after cervical spinal cord sections in dogs.

Polyethylene glycol‐induced motor recovery after total spinal transection in rats

“…Special substances, classified as membrane fusogens (eg, polyethylene glycol, PEG), can acutely restore the integrity of sharply severed nerve fibers or seal the membrane of damaged neurons, curtailing cell death, including in the spinal cord (reviewed in 8‐9). To be maximally effective, this effect requires topical application, as recently evinced in proof‐of‐concept rodent case series and a canine case report, in which the cervical and dorsal cords were sharply transected and treated with PEG: Motor function recovered within weeks . Per se, parenteral administration of PEG has not proven particularly effective at reversing experimental contusive SCI, although in those studies, PEG was administered within 24 hours of SCI .…”

“…To be maximally effective, this effect requires topical application, as recently evinced in proof-of-concept rodent case series and a canine case report, in which the cervical and dorsal cords were sharply transected and treated with PEG: Motor function recovered within weeks. [8][9][10] Per se, parenteral administration of PEG has not proven particularly effective at reversing experimental contusive SCI, although in those studies, PEG was administered within 24 hours of SCI. 11,12 IV PEG would be useless in the chronic setting.…”

Polyethylene glycol fusion associated with antioxidants: A new promise in the treatment of traumatic facial paralysis

“…In science, extremely positive results are always met with curiosity and skepticism. Experiments in dogs [29][30][31] and rats 32,33 using polyethylene glycol for the repair of spinal cord lesions obtained very promising results. The same occurred with Bittner et al 5 (2012).…”

HEAVEN in the Making: Between the Rock (the Academe) and a Hard Case (a Head Transplant)

“…The GEMINI spinal cord fusion (SCS) protocol has been validated by animal (mice, rats, dogs) experiments by three independent groups in Korea, China, and Germany (Kim 2016;Kim et al 2016a;2016b;2016c;Kim et al 2017;Ye et al 2016;Liu et al 2017;Estrada and Mueller 2016;rationale discussed in Canavero 2014rationale discussed in Canavero , 2015arationale discussed in Canavero , 2015b. A sharply severed spinal cord can be re-fused anatomically and above all physiologically (Figure 1).…”