Objective: To investigate the effect of fetal spinal cord (FSC) graft with different methods on axonal pathology and neurological function recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Forty Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups. In Group A, the spinal cord was injured and hemisected. In Group B, fetal spinal cord (FSC) was transferred into the injured site. In Group C, after having done as Group B, the upper and lower spinal nerve roots were anastomosed. And in Group D, after having done as Group B, the pedicled omentum was transferred into the hemisection cavity. At 6 weeks after operation, light and electronic microscopes were used to examine the axonal pathology. The neurological function was assessed with inclined plane tests in the open field. The number of axons was quantitated by a computer image analysis system. Results: A greater loss of axons was observed in Group A than that of other groups at 6 weeks. The sequence of the reduced rate of the axons was as following, Group A>Group B>Group C>Group D (P<0.05). The remaining axons were paralleled with the significant improvement in neurological function recovery of the rats. Conclusions: It indicates that FSC and pedicled omentum grafts after SCI can protect the axons and promote the neurological function recovery of the rats.
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