End-to-side neurorrhaphy in the reconstruction of peripheral segmental neural loss: an experimental study

TL;DR

This study compares two nerve repair techniques in rats and finds that autograft repair leads to better nerve regeneration than end-to-side embracing repair.

Contribution

The study experimentally evaluates end-to-side neurorrhaphy versus autograft repair for peripheral nerve regeneration in Wistar rats.

Findings

End-to-side embracing repair showed inferior neural regeneration compared to autograft repair.

Muscle weight and ENMG results indicated no significant regeneration in the embracing group after 12 weeks.

Grasping strength improved initially in all groups but only the autograft group maintained it long-term.

Abstract

To evaluate the effects on peripheral neural regeneration of the end-to-side embracing repair technique compared to the autograft repair technique in Wistar rats.

Fifteen male Wistar rats were divided into three groups with five animals each: denervated group (GD), autograft group (GA), and embracing group (EG). For the evaluation, the grasping test, electroneuromyography (ENMG), and muscle weight assessment were used.

Muscle weight assessment and ENMG did not show significant neural regeneration at the end of 12 weeks in the DG and GE groups, but only in GA. The grasping test showed an increase in strength between the surgery and the fourth week in all groups, and only the GA maintained this trend until the 12th week.

The present study indicates that the neural regeneration observed in the end-to-side embracing neurorrhaphy technique, in the repair of segmental neural loss, is inferior to autograft repair in Wistar rats.

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