To establish the animal model, start by securing an anesthetized rat on a foam board, fastening its limbs and incisors using rubber bands. Wipe the prepared area with a 75%alcohol swab. Next, use scissors to make a two to three centimeter incision through the skin, superficial fascia, and deep fascia layer by layer.
Locate the anterior superior iliac spine, followed by the third and fourth spinous processes. Clamp the spinous process with toothed forceps and lift it to allow the scissors to be close to the right side of the spinous process. Cut the muscle attached to the right side of the spinous process.
Then bluntly dissect the muscle attached to the outer surface of the vertebral plate until resistance is felt. Similarly, bluntly dissect the muscle and fascia on the zygapophysial joint. Use an L-shaped probe to locate the intervertebral foramen.
Next, insert an L-shaped stainless steel rod into the fourth and fifth lumbar intervertebral foramen. Proceed to suture the muscle, fascia, and skin layer by layer using 3-0 sutures. Place the rat in a thermostatic box until it wakes up and observe the function of the rat's right hind limb to ensure normalcy.