title: Impairment of peripheral nerve healing after nerve repair in rats chronically exposed to alcohol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chronic alcoholism on the healing of repaired peripheral nerve and muscle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group 1 rats (n = 9) were fed with an alcohol-free modified liquid diet (MLD) throughout the experiment and received no nerve transection or repair. Group 2 rats (n = 9) were fed the same isocaloric MLD and underwent nerve transection and repair. Group 3 (n = 7) consisted of alcoholic rats without nerve transection and repair and Group 4 (n = 8) consisted of alcoholic rats with nerve transection and repair. To assess the effects of chronic alcoholism on nerve healing, surgical procedures were applied to rats in Groups 2 and 4. After 2 months, posterior tibial nerve and gastrocnemius muscle samples were taken for histological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 2 rats displayed a group of atrophic fibers, whereas Group 3 rats showed myophagocytosis and endomysial mononuclear infiltration and type 2 fiber atrophy. Group 4 rats displayed a large section of atrophic fibres. Axonal loss, prominent regenerative clusters and endoneural fibrosis occurred in Group 2 rats. Axonal and myelin degeneration, myelin remnants and thinly myelinated axons were exhibited in Group 3 rats, whereas severe axonal loss, myelin degeneration, regenerative clusters and endoneural fibrosis were discovered in Group 4. There was a significant difference in the number of myelinated axons among the various groups of rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that chronic alcoholism has a negative influence on peripheral nerve regeneration associated with a significant decrease in axon number and increased axonal degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, T. Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey. kertem@inonu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ertem
authors.forename: Fethi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zorludemir
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karakoc
authors.forename: Saim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yologlu
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol