title: End-to-side nerve grafting of the tibial nerve to bridge a neuroma-in-continuity.
abstract: Standard treatment for a neuroma-in-continuity with partial retained function is neurolysis with or without grafting. The present study tests the outcome of a novel partial nerve lesion bypassed with an end-to-side bridge graft, intended to increase the number of axons crossing the defect while not disturbing intact axons. An 8-mm portion of tibial nerve was resected in 20 rats. Three weeks later, half had the defect repaired with an end-to-side bridge allograft and perineurial windows; controls had only neurolysis. Recovery was evaluated using walking-track analysis, allodynia testing, muscle weight ratios, and histology at 8 weeks. No significant differences in motor or sensory functional recovery were noted between the two groups. Histology showed good axonal regeneration through the defect in all specimens. The experimental group also had regenerated axons in the bridge graft, but their maturity was less advanced, presumably due to delays in regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kerns
authors.forename: Eduard H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sladek
authors.forename: Tejashree S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Malushte
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Bassem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elhassan
authors.forename: Bassem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El-Hassan
authors.forename: Pravit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kitidumrongsook
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kroin
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shott
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gantsoudes
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D023421:Models, Animal; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016067:Nerve Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D009463:Neuroma / Q000601:surgery*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*