title: Histopathological changes in the periphery of the sciatic nerve of rats after knee joint immobilization.
abstract: [Purpose] This study was performed to investigate the histological changes that occur in the periphery of the sciatic nerve in rats undergoing knee immobilization. [Subjects and Methods] 29 male 9-week-old Wistar rats were divided randomly into a control group (C group, n = 7) and an immobilized group (I group, n = 22). The animals in the I group had the left knee joint immobilized in maximal flexion with plaster casts for two weeks. After the experimental period, we obtained cross-sections of tissues from the center of the left thigh, and the periphery of the sciatic nerve was observed under an optical microscope after hematoxylin-eosin staining. [Results] In contrast to the rats of C group, the rats in I group showed adherence between the bundle of nerve fibers and perineurium, as well as thickening of the perineurium. These histological changes were statistically significant. [Conclusions] Immobilization of the knee joints of rats resulted in characteristic histological changes in the connective tissue around the sciatic nerve.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rehabilitation, Kanazawa University Hospital.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamijo
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoso
keywords: Contracture; Perineurium; Sciatic nerve