Effects of antifibrinolytic and steroid therapy on the contused spinal cord of cats

A 400 gm/cm force exerted on the exposed spinal cord of the cat led to its progressive destruction by hemorrhage and edema. Intravenous administration of epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) and methyl prednisolone sodium succinate (MP) appreciably protected the tissue of the spinal cord by minimizing hemorrhage and edema. At 24 hr a spinal cord so treated compared favorably with an untreated control specimen removed 2 min after trauma. Success with this combined medication was attributed to steroid stabilization of neural cell membranes and the lysosomes contained therein. Thus, edema was partially prevented, as well as escape of proteolytic enzymes. It was the latter group of enzymes that led to propagation of hemorrhages and nervous tissue destruction; EACA inhibited their action.