Methylprednisolone in spinal cord compression.

Abstract

In acute nonsurvival studies, eight anesthetized lambs were subjected to cord compression at T13 by means of an epidural balloon distended to a pressure of 200 mm Hg for 40 minutes. Subsequent to withdrawal of the balloon, each animal received 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone succinate in an intravenous bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 10 mg/kg/hr for the duration of the experiment. Spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) and spinal evoked potential (SEP) determinations were obtained sequentially prior to, during, and at 1/2, 1 1/2, and 2 1/2 hours following compression. In spite of the absence of ischemia following compression, SEPs failed to recover. Methylprednisolone had no apparent effect on blood flow or on the recovery of SEPs when compared with results in ten control animals that received saline alone.