End-to-side nerve coaptation is an additional proximal coaptation useful when available
Date
2005-09
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Abstract
The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of end-to-side coaptation of the proximal end of a severed nerve to the same intact nerve, in addition to traditional end-to-side coaptation of the distal end, with an aim to use the intact nerve as a nerve conduit in a rat model and to compare the functional and histologic results of this modality to those obtained after nerve grafting and traditional end-to-side nerve coaptation. In group A, a peroneal nerve defect measuring I cm was created in the left hind limb, and a nerve graft I cm long was used to bridge the defect. In group 13, only the distal stump of the peroneal nerve was coapted to the intact tibial nerve. In group C, both ends of the peroneal nerve defect were coapted to the intact tibial nerve in an end-to-side fashion 1.5 cm apart from each other, and in group D, the peroneal nerve defect was left unrepaired. Group E was consisted of nonoperated peroneal nerves that were used to obtain normative data. Although significantly higher myelinated axon densities were observed in groups B and C compared with group A and group E, total number of the myelinated axons was significantly higher only in group C. Peroneal functional index assessments demonstrated that nerve recovery in the peroneal nerve was similar in groups A and C, and both were better than those observed in groups B and D. Collectively, these results suggest that end-to-side coaptation of both ends of a severed nerve to an intact nerve, in case of a nerve defect in this length, may serve as an alternative for nerve grafting.
Description
Keywords
Surgery, Coaptation, End-to-side neurorrhaphy, Collateral sprouting, Rat, Terminolateral neurorrhaphy, Axonal regeneration, Peripheral-nerve, Motor, Removal, Sheath
Citation
Özbek, S. vd. (2005). "End-to-side nerve coaptation is an additional proximal coaptation useful when available". Annals of Plastic Surgery, 55(3), 281-288.