Home › Cell Biology › Nerve Stimulator-guided Injection of Autologous Stem Cells Near the Equine Left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve
Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Nerve Stimulator-guided Injection of Autologous Stem Cells Near the Equine Left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

DOI: 10.3791/58023-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Perform muscle microbiopsy to isolate autologous stem cells from equine tissue
  • ✓ Use electrical nerve stimulator to safely locate recurrent laryngeal nerve
  • ✓ Execute precise perineal stem cell injection near target nerve anatomy
  • ✓ Assess laryngeal function changes post-injection via standardized scoring
Protocol

Here, we present a protocol to inject autologous muscle-derived stem cells in the proximity to the recurrent laryngeal nerve with the help of an electrical nerve stimulator. This novel technique may become useful for the treatment of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~2–3 weeks (biopsy collection through post-injection assessment and functional evaluation)
Model organism
Horse (Equus caballus)
Biosafety
BSL-1

Steps

1
Obtain muscle microbiopsy for stem cell harvest

Collect small muscle tissue sample from the horse using aseptic technique. This tissue serves as the source for autologous stem cell isolation and culture prior to injection.

▶ 00:55
2
Localize recurrent laryngeal nerve with stimulator

Use an electrical nerve stimulator to identify the precise anatomical location of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Stimulation triggers characteristic laryngeal responses that confirm nerve position.

▶ 03:07
3
Inject autologous stem cells near target nerve

Administer the cultured autologous muscle-derived stem cells in close proximity to the identified recurrent laryngeal nerve using a guided injection technique. Position and volume are critical for therapeutic efficacy.

▶ 05:18
4
Assess laryngeal function and clinical outcomes

Evaluate post-injection laryngeal function using standardized scoring systems. Document representative horse signalment and functional changes to determine treatment efficacy.

▶ 05:46
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