Author/Authors :
Moosavizadeh, Mehdi Department of Plastic Surgery - 15 Khordad Educational Hospital - School of Medicine - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Alizadeh Otaghvar, Hamidreza Trauma and Injury Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Baghae, Mohammad Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences - Trauma and Injury Research Center, Tehran, Iran , Zavari, Arefeh Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Mohyeddin, Hamid Department of Clinical Sciences - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Garmsar Branch Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran , Fattahiyan, Hamidreza Department of Clinical Sciences - Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Science - Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , Farazmand, Behnood Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Moosavizadeh, Mohammad Ali Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Peripheral nerve injuries may affect all age groups and exert devastating impacts on the professional and personal life
of the patients. The investigation of nerve regeneration and use of biomaterials and synthetic materials have resulted in advancements
in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries and lesions. Nerve conduits can be used to adjoin the digital sensory nerve spaces of less
than 3 cm, especially when the direct tension-free repair of peripheral nerve lesions is not possible. The present study was conducted to
evaluate the use of nerve conduits by functional and nonfunctional parameters (i.e. histological study).
Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 30 male rabbits. After cutting or crushing the right femoral nerve of the rabbits,
they were divided into 3 groups: group 1, with right femoral nerve cut; group 2, with right femoral nerve crushed; and group 3, with
right femoral nerve cut using a conduit. The 3 groups were evaluated after 1, 8, and 16 weeks for functional parameters (i.e. walking
track analysis). In addition, they were subjected to nonfunctional examination (i.e. histological study) after 16 weeks, then, the results
were compared.
Results: The 3 groups showed no statistically significant differences in motor recovery in the eighth and 16th weeks (p>0.05). Based
on the histological study, group 3 with an end-to-end nerve cutting using a conduit, showed a significantly higher axon count
compared to groups 2 and 3 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: End-to-end anastomosis using conduit led to axon growth; moreover, comparable functional recovery was observed
with end-to-end neurorrhaphy in a rabbit model. Given that the diameter of the nerves and muscles, which might be neurotized in
humans, and is much bigger and not comparable to that of the rabbits, it is highly recommended to conduct studies on animals with the
larger size, such as primates, to facilitate the generalization of the results to humans.
Keywords :
Histologic study , Motor recovery , Nerve anastomosis , Femoral nerve , Conduit
