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Research ArticleOriginal Article
Open Access

Ultrastructural changes of compressed lumbar ventral nerve roots following decompression

Wagih G. El-Barrany, Raid M. Hamdy, Abdulmonem A. Al-Hayani, Sawsan M. Jalalah and Mohammed J. Al-Sayyad
Saudi Medical Journal July 2006, 27 (7) 955-961;
Wagih G. El-Barrany
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Raid M. Hamdy
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, PO Box 80205, Jeddah 21589, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 567139422. Fax. +966 (2) 6403443 Ext. 20120. E-mail: [email protected]
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  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Abdulmonem A. Al-Hayani
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Sawsan M. Jalalah
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Mohammed J. Al-Sayyad
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study whether there will be a permanent lumbar nerve root scarring or degeneration secondary to continuous compression followed by decompression on the nerve roots, which can account for postlaminectomy leg weakness or back pain.

METHODS: The study was performed at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 2003-2005. Twenty-six adult male New Zealand rabbits were used in the present study. The ventral roots of the left fourth lumbar nerve were clamped for 2 weeks then decompression was allowed by removal of the clips. The left ventral roots of the fourth lumbar nerve were excised for electron microscopic study.

RESULTS: One week after nerve root decompression, the ventral root peripheral to the site of compression showed signs of Wallerian degeneration together with signs of regeneration. Schwann cells and myelinated nerve fibers showed severe degenerative changes. Two weeks after decompression, the endoneurium of the ventral root showed extensive edema with an increase in the regenerating myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers, and fibroblasts proliferation. Three weeks after decompression, the endoneurium showed an increase in the regenerating myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers with diminution of the endoneurial edema, and number of macrophages and an increase in collagen fibrils. Five and 6 weeks after decompression, the endoneurium showed marked diminution of the edema, macrophages, mast cells and fibroblasts. The endoneurium was filled of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers and collagen fibrils.

CONCLUSION: Decompression of the compressed roots of a spinal nerve is followed by regeneration of the nerve fibers and nerve recovery without endoneurial scarring.

  • Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Saudi Medical Journal: 27 (7)
Saudi Medical Journal
Vol. 27, Issue 7
1 Jul 2006
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Ultrastructural changes of compressed lumbar ventral nerve roots following decompression
Wagih G. El-Barrany, Raid M. Hamdy, Abdulmonem A. Al-Hayani, Sawsan M. Jalalah, Mohammed J. Al-Sayyad
Saudi Medical Journal Jul 2006, 27 (7) 955-961;

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Ultrastructural changes of compressed lumbar ventral nerve roots following decompression
Wagih G. El-Barrany, Raid M. Hamdy, Abdulmonem A. Al-Hayani, Sawsan M. Jalalah, Mohammed J. Al-Sayyad
Saudi Medical Journal Jul 2006, 27 (7) 955-961;
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© 2025 Saudi Medical Journal Saudi Medical Journal is copyright under the Berne Convention and the International Copyright Convention.  Saudi Medical Journal is an Open Access journal and articles published are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC). Readers may copy, distribute, and display the work for non-commercial purposes with the proper citation of the original work. Electronic ISSN 1658-3175. Print ISSN 0379-5284.

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