Abstract:Objective: To investigate the safety of epidural injection with chemical neurolytic drugs.Methods: Forty-two rabbits were randomly divided into 7 groups and epidural injections were performed with absolute alcohol,7.5% or 15% phenolglycerin in lower lumbar or middle thoracic level respectively.Animal behavior changes,motion function of hind extremities,the haemorrhage probability in epidural soft tissues induced by recatheterization and pathologic changes of local soft tissues were observed.Results: Significant lesions including grading hind legs paralysis,fecal incontinence and urinary retention were showed in the rabbits with epidural injection at lower lumbar level with alcohol or phenolglycerin.The mortality of rabbits reached 72% in these groups when specialized care was not given in 2 weeks.In the meantime,no evident behavior changes were observed in the rabbits undergoing epidural injection at middle thoracic level and no haemorrhage tendency and severe local pathologic changes occured 3 months later.Conclusion: The results revealed that the motor nerves and autonomic nerveus system may be blocked predicatively by epidural injection with absolute alcohol or phenolglycerin.