Percutaneous vertebroplasty combined with interstitial implantation of 125I seeds in banna mini-pigs

Abstract

Background: Although brachytherapy is one of the most effective ways to treat metastatic spinal tumor with little damage to surrounding healthy tissue, it may cause radiation myelopathy if an overdose occurs. Establishing a valuable animal model can help to find a method to overcome its complications. In the current study, we set up a banna mini-pig model to mimic percutaneous vertebroplasty with 125I seed implantation.

Methods: Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) combined with interstitial implantation of 125I seeds, 125I seeds were transplanted into the vertebral body at the T13 level of the spine in banna mini-pigs. After raising them for up to eight months, the spinal cord and vertebral body were collected for pathological analysis.

Results: A potential animal model had been successfully established, no case of radiation myelopathy was found in any of the treated banna pigs, and no significant cellular impairment was noted by pathological analysis.

Conclusions: It proves that PVP with 125I brachytherapy is an effective method to treat metastasis spinal tumor, and that the banna mini-pig can be a suitable model to investigate the mechanism of brachytherapy complications.

Figure 1

Three-dimensional schematic pictures of the T13 level of the spine in banna mini-pig.

Figure 2

Position in the vertebral body of PVP with the ¹²⁵I implant.

Figure 3

DSA scan during the operation and postoperation. (A) During the operation, seeds were injected into the T13 level of the spine in banna mini-pigs. (B) Seeds were implanted into the target region postoperation.

Figure 4

CT scan to confirm the good distribution of bone cement and seeds in the T13 level of swine spine. (A) and (B) are CT scan pictures. (C) is a three-dimensional schema chart of swine spine with PVP and seed implant.

Figure 5

The pathological analysis of the vertebral body. (A) is the photograph of the half spine cut from the middle; (B) and (C) are H & E ×100 pictures, the bone cement distribution is shown; (D) and (E) were H & E stained with ×400 and ×2400 pictures, showing that the bone microstructure and bone cells keep their normal shape, no necrosis was noted.

Figure 6

H & E ×200 pictures for spinal cord cells. No significant structural alteration was found.

Figure 7

Electron microscopy observations.