Commentary: A nano-sized step for man, a giant step for mankind?

• Authors: Adam R Williams, Duke University; Edward Chen, Emory University
• Journal Title: JTCVS Open
• Volume: Volume 5
• Publisher: (publisher) | 2021-03-01, Pages 37-38
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjon.2020.09.007
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: sized

Abstract

Naganuma and colleagues1 present a unique and novel technique to mitigate spinal cord injury (SPI) using nanobubble technology to oxygenate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), administered via intrathecal microcatheter infusion. Using a validated rabbit model of SCI involving 15 minutes of infrarenal aorta occlusion, animals were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) sham procedure group (n = 5), with microcatheter placement and 5 seconds of aortic occlusion; (2) ischemia only group (n = 5), with microcatheter placement and 15 minutes of aortic occlusion; (3) nonoxygenated ischemia group (n = 5), with 15 minutes of aortic occlusion followed by microcatheter infusion of nonoxygenated CSF; and (4) oxygenated ischemia group (n = 5), with 15 minutes of aortic occlusion followed by microcatheter infusion of oxygenated CSF. Artificial CSF infusion was initiated 15 minutes after aortic occlusion and lasted 60 minutes. Partial pressure of oxygen in CSF (CSF-PO2) was assessed during the procedure. At 48 hours, a neurologic evaluation was performed for hind limb function, and the animals were euthanized for histological spinal cord analysis by a blinded pathologist.