Turkish Neurosurgery 2017 , Vol 27 , Num 1
Prevention of Epidural Fibrosis Using Ranibizumab in a Postlaminectomy Rat Model
Ali YILMAZ1,Mete KARATAY2,Timur YILDIRIM1,Haydar CELIK2, Idris SERTBAS2,Yavuz ERDEM2,Muzaffer CAYDERE3,Hasan Serdar ISIK1,Mehmet Akif BAYAR2
1Ordu University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ordu, Turkey
2Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey
3Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pathology, Ankara, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.14882-15.1 AIM: One of the most significant reasons for persistent low back pain experienced after spinal surgery is epidural fibrosis seen after laminectomy procedures. This study shows the effects of Ranibizumab on spinal epidural fibrosis in the laminectomy area by blocking the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were used in this study. Rats were divided into two groups; a control group and a ranibizumab group. Only laminectomy was performed to the control group. In the ranibizumab group, 0.6 mg/kg ranibizumab diluted in 0.9% NaCl with the ratio of 1:10 was applied topically. Three weeks later, the vertebral columns were resected en bloc including the whole laminectomy area in both groups and evaluated histopathologically. Results were compared using statistical tools.

RESULTS: Based on the statistical analysis, our data show that less epidural fibrosis was seen in the ranibizumab group compared to the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Topically applied Ranibizumab is significantly effective in preventing epidural fibrosis in rats occurred after laminectomy. Keywords : Epidural fibrosis, Laminectomy, Ranibizumab

Corresponding author : Timur YILDIRIM, mdtimur@hotmail.com