Establishing the Rabbit Model of Degenerative Intervertebral Disc by Annulus Puncture

OBJECTIVE To establish the rabbit model of degenerative intervertebral disc by annulus puncture.METHODS Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups. Operation group was for annulus fibrosus with a 16-gauge needle damaging the right front side of lumbar vertebrae in 30 New Zealand white rabbits while the rest ten rabbits were used as control group without any annulus puncture. The changes in intervertebral space and pathological conditions were respectively examined with lateral spine X-rays and histopathological exam ination on 4， 8 and 12 weeks after operation.RESULTS The height of intervertebral space in operation group was gradually decreased and the difference of the rate of change of DHI between the two groups was statistically significant from the fourth week on (P<0.05). The histological sections demonstrated that the cell content in nucleus pulposus in operation group gradually decreased.CONCLUSION The annulus puncture may slowly authentically initate human disc degeneration after injury and the modeling method is safe and reliable.