Transverse elasticity and blood perfusion of sciatic nerves under in situ circular compression.
Biomechanical properties and microcirculation of peripheral nerves under circular compression are vital factors for nerve repair and for developing neural prostheses. Quasi-static circular compression experiments on six rabbit sciatic nerves were performed. The mean estimated Young's modulus of the sciatic nerves in the transverse direction was 66.9+/-8.0 kPa. The blood perfusion of the nerve started to decrease at a mean pressure of 30.5 mmHg and reached a stable lower level of 30% of pre-compression value at 102.8 mmHg. The findings may make a contribution to safer design of cuff electrodes to be used in neural prostheses.
Ju
Ming-Shaung
MS
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan. msju@mail.ncku.edu.tw
Lin
Chou-Ching K
CC
Fan
Jia-Lin
JL
Chen
Rung-Jian
RJ
D000818:Animals; D004548:Elasticity; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical