End-to-side neurorrhaphy: an experimental study in rabbits.
The concept of end-to-side nerve repair was recently introduced; however, most authors have reported conflicting results with this technique. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of end-to-side nerve repair in both fresh and predegenerated specimens by histological evaluation in an animal study in rabbits. Thirty male rabbits were divided into three groups. In group 1 (n = 14), the peroneal nerve was divided and sutured end-to-side to the tibial nerve via an epineurial window. In group 2 (n = 13), the peroneal nerve was divided and sutured end-to-side to the tibial nerve after a 1-week "predegeneration period." In group 3 (n = 3), which was considered the control group, the peroneal nerve was divided and sutured to the adjacent soft tissues. After 3 months, specimens were harvested for histological evaluation. Nerve fiber count, in normal peroneal nerves, averaged 532/cross section. In groups 1 and 2, average nerve fiber count in implanted peroneal nerves was 6.24 and 7.00/cross section, respectively. No significant statistical difference was observed between fresh and "predegenerated" groups (P = 0.90). These data suggest that collateral sprouting of donor nerves is possible after end-to-side neurorrhaphy through an epineurial window, but the number of nerve fibers in recipient nerves is too low to result in any functional recovery in the target organ.
Jaberi
Fereidoon Mojtahed
FM
Orthopaedic Division, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Jaberi@yahoo.com
Abbas
Babak Pour
BP
Nezhad
Simin Torabi
ST
Tanideh
Nader
N
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*