Ciclosporin a

All patients were maintained on a calcineurin inhibitor (Ciclosporin A, Novartis Pharma Stein AG) alone or in combination with either an mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin, Kerry Centre) or mycophenolate mofetil (Roche).

SCC was performed to induce SCI in the present study. The rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection with 3.6% chloral hydrate (380 mg/kg) and were placed in the prone position. A surgical incision was made in the thoracic region (T9-T11), and the paravertebral muscles and supraspinal ligaments were separated. Subsequently, the rats underwent a T9-T11 laminectomy, and were subjected to SCC at T10 level using a 10 g weight that was dropped from a 30 mm height. In addition, rats in the Sham group underwent the laminectomy only. Finally, the surgical wounds were sutured with a 3–0 silk suture. The rats were then injected with 5 ml saline, and received 0.5 ml cefotaxime sodium for 7 days and 0.05 ml Ciclosporin A injection (Novartis International AG, Basel, Switzerland) for 28 days. Their bladders were manually compressed three times a day until recovery of the micturition reflex.