title: Evaluation of periodic electrodiagnostic measurements to monitor motor recovery after different peripheral nerve lesions in the rat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The advantage of minimally invasive electrodiagnostic methods for periodic evaluation of reinnervation at predefined time intervals does not seem to be widely recognized. In this study, using a rat model, we assessed the utility of periodic electrodiagnostic measurements for monitoring ongoing motor recovery after peripheral nerve injuries of differing severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a comparative study, either unilateral sciatic nerve crush injury (n = 10), end-to-end coaptation (n = 5), or 10-mm nerve autotransplantation (n = 10) were performed. During the 6-16-week period thereafter compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were recorded percutaneously every week in anesthetized animals. Motor nerve conduction velocity and percentage of axon loss were calculated and compared with footprint analyses (static sciatic index, SSI) and evaluations of sensory recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results clearly demonstrate that, although SSI measurements reliably demonstrated progress of regeneration after nerve crush injury only, differences in electrodiagnostically determined values precisely remodeled differences in axonal regeneration, which was confirmed by histomorphometric analysis of axonal regeneration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous electrodiagnostic measurements enable reliable estimation of axonal regeneration parameters such as myelination and nerve fiber density and display in close proximity the actual status of axonal regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroanatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Korte
authors.forename: Henning C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grothe
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tipold
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haastert-Talini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors