title: Introduction of a New Suture Method in Repair of Peripheral Nerves Injured with a Sharp Mechanism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The standard method for repair of an injured peripheal nerve is epineural repair with separate sutures. Herein we describe a method in which the nerve is sutured with continous sutures. In fact this method has not been utilized for nerve repair previously and our purpose was to compare it to the standard method. If it proved to be successful it would replace the standard method in certain circumstances.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proposal of the clinical trial was given a reference number form the ethics comitee. 25 dogs in which the scaitic nerve was cut by a sharp blade under genaeral anesthesia were divided randomly into three groups: control (5 dogs), repair of sciatic nerve with simple sutures (10) and repair with continous sutures (10). In the control group the nerve was not repaired at all. After 6 weeks the dogs were killed and the nerve was studied by light and electronic microscopes. The amount of consumed suture material, time of repair, myelin thickness and axon diiameter were examined. Ultrastructural studies were performed to assess degeneration and regeneration findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time of repair and the amount of consumed suture material were significantly lower in the continous group (P<0.001). No difference was found with regard to light microscopy findings and regeneration was confirmed by electron microscopy in the continous group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method described in the present study, provided a result similar to the standard method. Though undobtfully it has some limitations, can replace the standard method in many circumstances.
authors.affiliation: Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Dr Bahonar Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saied
authors.affiliation: Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Dr Bahonar Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid Asadi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shekaari
authors.affiliation: Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Dr Bahonar Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Amirreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghifar
authors.affiliation: Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Dr Bahonar Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karbalaeikhani
keywords: Nerve regeneration; Peripheral nerve injuries; Sutures