Blood flow measurement in experimental chronic cauda equina compression indogs: Changes in blood flow at various conditions

The purpose of this study was to present a simple method of measurement of blood flow in the nerve root, assess the reliability of this method, and ex amine the changes of blood flow in chronic cauda equina compression in an e xperimental setting. A total of 15 dogs were used to determine the blood fl ow of cauda equina in normal (n = 5), sham (n = 5), and 10 mm Hg compressed cauda equina for I week (n = 5). The speed of blood flow was calculated us ing a specially designed microscope supplied with a video camera. Blood flo w in chronic 10 mm Hg compression decreased compared with the sham and norm al groups. The kappa value was between 0.75 and 0.96. We conclude that this method might be useful for measurement of blood flow in the nerve root and for confirming the reduction in blood flow of compressed cauda equina.