Establishment and evaluation of an animal model of female pelvic nerve injury

Abstract

Objective: To build a stable animal model simulating pelvic nerve injury in female pelvic floor dysfunction. Methods: A total of 55 10-week-old female SD rats weighing (220±15) g were randomly divided into 3 groups: 5 for normal group, 25 for sham operation group (SO), 25 for bilateral pudendal nerve block group (BPNB). Samples of rat anterior vaginal wall were obtained in 3 days, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after the operation. The number of nerve fibers was counted per high power field under microscope, with UCHL immunohistochemical staining of nerve fibers. RNA was extracted and the expression of RNA related to nerve tissue was tested. Results: The numbers of nerve fibers had no significant difference between the normal group and the sham operation group. The numbers of nerve fibers in anterior vaginal wall of rats in BPNB group, was obviously decreased in 3 days after the operation, reached a minimum value at 1 weeks, and lasting till 3 months. QRT-PCR indicated that the expression of UCHL mRNA in the BPNB group was significantly decreased after 1 week, 1 month and 3 months, while the expression of Nestin was significantly decreased 1 month and 3 months after the operation. Conclusions: Bilateral pudendal nerve block could be used to make rat models of anterior vaginal nerve injury for further exploratory research on pelvic nerve injury theory of pelvic floor dysfunction.