title: The single-fascicle method of nerve grafting.
abstract: In this study a single-fascicle technique for neural deficits repair was evaluated using a rat sciatic nerve model. Twenty-four Lewis rats were divided into 4 groups: group 1, 1.5-cm deficit without repair; group 2, conventional autograft; group 3, large-fascicle autograft; and group 4, small-fascicle autograft. Nerve regeneration was evaluated by pin-prick and toe-spread tests. Nerve samples were estimated by histomorphometry. Group 1 presented no recovery. Groups 3 and 4 demonstrated significantly better pin-prick results compared with those from conventional repair. Histology revealed a significantly higher number of axons and myelin thickness in the small-fascicle (2.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(3) axons, 4.22 +/- 0.41 microm) and large-fascicle (5.1 +/- 1.7 x 10(3) axons, 4.62 +/- 0.28 microm) groups compared with the conventional autograft group (2.1 +/- 0.3 x 10(3) axons, 2.93 +/- 0.20 microm). The small-fascicle group had a significantly greater mean axon area (58.59 +/- 15.81 microm2) than the large-fascicle group (29.66 +/- 12.67 microm2) and the conventional group (25.35 +/- 7.52 microm2). In this study, peripheral nerve repair using a single-fascicle graft resulted in faster functional recovery and better morphometric outcome compared with conventional nerve repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. siemonom@ccf.org
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siemionow
authors.forename: MacIej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Romed
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meirer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous