Fig. 1

Effect of electrocautery treatment on incision-induced mechanical allodynia in mice. A Schematic diagram of the electrocautery operation. (1) A 3 mm longitudinal incision of the skin and fascia of the plantar aspect of the right hind paw of mice was conducted with a number 23 scalpel blade. (2) A 3 mm longitudinal incision of the plantaris muscle was made using a monopolar electrosurgery unit. Finally, the skin was stitched with two mattress sutures of 7–0 nylon. The red circle shows where the von Frey filament was applied (Testing area). B Protocol for measurement of the pain threshold. C Changes in the pain threshold as measured by the von Frey test (0.16 g). Each point represents the mean ± S.E.M. of 12–13 mice (Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni test, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. Sham group. ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 vs. incision group). D, E mRNA levels of Sprr1a D or Anxa10 E in the ipsilateral side of the spinal cord were measured at 3, 7 or 11 days after incision or electrocautery. Each column represents the mean ± S.E.M. of 3–9 independent experiments (One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni test, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. Sham group, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 vs. incision group)