The Effect of Dilute Silver Nitrate and Silver Protein Solutions on the Spinal Cord and Nerve Roots. An Experimental Study on Rabbits

To determine if silver nitrate or silver proteinate can be safely used for sterilizing myelomeningocele sacs, the lumbosacral spinal cords of young rabbits were perfused with solutions of these compounds. All silver solutions produced severe damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots. Control animals treated in the same way with saline were unaffected. It is concluded that the use of silver nitrate and silver proteinate is unsafe if contact with functioning nervous tissue is possible.