End-to-Side Neurorrhaphy For Prevention Of Atrophy In Denervated Muscles

Objective:To investigate the effect of end-to-side neurorrhaphy on prevention of atrophy indenervated muscles,so as to provide the basis of the theory for the treatment of nervedefect in clinic.Methods:32SD rats were used,they were randomly divided into four groups,each8.GroupA;the right common peroneal nerve was cut off,a window was made in the outermembrance of the tibial nerve stem,distal end of the common peroneal nerve and tibialnerve stem was religated by end-to-side anastomosis.Group B;the right common peroneal nerve was cut off,the two ends of a nerve graftwere sutured,end-to-side respectively with the windowed nornal tibial nerve trunk and thewindowed trunk of the distal part of the severed peroneal nerve.Group C:the right common peroneal nerve was cut off,the severed ends of peronealnerve were kept apart by suuring them into neighbouring muscle.Group D:the nerve was left intact as contral,the right common peroneal was intact.Twelve weeks after operation,the electrophysiological test was under-taken,theanterior tibial muscle and the nerve fiber was taken for histologic examination,anteriortibial muscle wet weight was measured.the cross section area of the anterior tibial musclewas measured.So as to investigate the effect of end-to-side neurorrhaphy on prevention ofatrophy in denervated muscles.Results:①:the histologic examination of the anterior tibial muscle and the nerve fiber:theregenerate axone andmyelin sheath were seen in group A,B,D.the normal morphostructureof muscle also can be seen.Fibrosis of the distal end the common peroneal nerve andatrophy of the muscle fiber in group C.②:there was no significant difference on the cross section area of the anterior tibial muscle between group A,B(P>0.05),but which was significant difference between group Cand group A,B,D(P<0.05).③:There was significant difference on the anterior tibial muscle wet weightbetween group A,B,D(P<0.01). There was significant difference between group C andgroup A,B,D(P<0.01).④: The nerve conduction velocity could not be recorded in group C,the nerveconduction velocity of group A,B was slower than group D.there was no significantdifference between group A and B(P>0.05).But there was significant difference betweengroup A,B and D(P<0.01).Conclusion:End-to-side neurorraphy was a valuable method of preventing atrophy of denervatedmuscles,but it could not replacing the function of the original nerve.