The effect of antifibrinolytic therapy in experimental spinal cord trauma.

The efficacy of antifibrinolytic therapy with epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) in experimental spinal cord injury is assessed by use of a standardized trauma model at both nonparaplegic and paraplegic trauma doses. Evaluation of neurologic parameters, cortical evoked response and histopathology of the injured spinal cord demonstrated that within the contusion range studied, EACA has no significant therapeutic effect. The ability of the animal to walk was the most reliable criterion indicative of functional recovery, and was closely paralleled by return of the cortical evoked response. Spinal cord cavitation in excess of 60% uniformly resulted in paraplegia. The data from this experiment show no evidence of a significant secondary injury occurring after spinal cord trauma that is amenable to posttraumatic antifibrinolytic therapy.