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Focal thrombosis was induced in the dorsal funiculus of the rat spinal cord by exposing the cord to light following intravenous injection of the photoactive dye, rose bengal. The light source was a 599 standing wave dye laser, pumped by an Innova 70 - 4 argon ion laser (Coherent Ltd, Cambridge, UK) and the light was delivered to the operative site via an optical fiber. The histological characteristics of the development and resolution of the lesion have been studied. Forty rats were examined with light and electron microscopy at various time points between 30 minutes and one month after irradiation and the lesion length was measured. Platelet aggregation, increased extracellular space in the white matter and vacuolation of the neurones and glia of the grey matter were present 30 minutes after injury. Progressive necrosis of the white and grey matter developed over the subsequent 24 hours to produce a fusiform lesion that occupied the dorsal funiculus and dorsal horns of the spinal cord at its center and tapered cranially and caudally along the dorsal columns for a total distance of seven millimeters. By one month after injury the area of necrosis had become a cyst lined by astrocytes ventrolaterally and meningeal cells dorsally. Measurements of lesion length showed a variability of 26%. This model of spinal cord trauma produces a lesion that is sufficiently reproducible to be suitable for performing studies aimed at tissue preservation and repair.
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