Biomedical Research

Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) is one common disease presented as wrist pain. Plasma vaporization ablation is a novel method treating IDD. This study utilized vaporization ablation on rabbit IDD model, whose expression of inflammatory factors was analysed along with the correlation with plasma vaporization ablation. Rabbit IDD model was generated by puncture approach and treated with plasma vaporization ablation. Control group received no treatment after surgery. MRI scanning was performed on rabbit intervertebral disc. Serum and intervertebral disc tissue samples were collected and tested for expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-4 by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) or Immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods. 2 w after puncture, rabbit had rupture of intervertebral disc fibrous ring, plus change of low-strength T2 signal but not in T1 signal. 4 w after surgery, model rats had further decreased intervertebral disc T2 signals. Both serum and intervertebral disc levels of TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-4 were significantly elevated in model group, and were gradually decreased with elongated treatment (p<0.05). Plasma vaporization ablation can decrease expression of TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-4 in both serum and intervertebral disc tissues, probably forming one mechanism of IDD.

Author(s): Tao Peng, Xiangyan Xu, Guoqiang Shan, Hao Wang
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