Anatomical study of blood supply to the spinal cord in the rabbit

Abstract

The study was carried out in rabbit. To investigate the arterial blood supply of the spinal cord in rabbit as model in experimental spinal cord ischemia surgery. The study was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Slovak Republic. The study was carried out on 10 adult New Zealand white rabbits. We prepared corrosion casts of arterial system of spinal cord. Batson's corrosion casting kit no. 17 was used as a casting medium. The presence of branches entering arteria spinalis ventralis in the thoracic region was observed in 71% of the cases on the left side and in 29% on the right side. In the lumbar region, left-sided branches were observed in 52% of the cases and right-sided in 48% of the cases. The artery of Adamkiewicz was present in 50% of the cases as left-sided and in 50% as right-sided. Documenting the anatomical variations in spinal cord blood supply in the rabbit will aid in the planning of future experimental studies and determining the clinical relevance on such studies.