Delay of denervation atrophy by sensory protection in an end-to-side neurorrhaphy model: A pilot study☆

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Summary

Object

Temporary sensory innervation delays the atrophy process. A major disadvantage of most experimental models is that sensory-protected muscles must be denervated a second time to allow reinnervation by the affected nerve. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of sensory protection on denervated gastrocnemius muscle in an end-to-side neurorrhaphy model, in which denervated muscles may be preserved until axons of the native nerve reach their target without the necessity for a second operation.

Methods

The tibial nerve of 24 female Lewis rats was transected. Twelve animals acted as the controls. In the other 12 animals, the end of the sural nerve was connected to the side of the distal tibial nerve stump (sensory protection group). At 5 and 10 weeks, wet gastrocnemius muscle weight was reported as a ratio of the operated to the unoperated side. For histological analysis, muscle samples were rapidly frozen and sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Oil Red O stain and modified Gomori trichrome stain.

Results

The difference between the sensory protection group and the control group was statistically significant at 5 (0.36 ± 0.01 and 0.29 ± 0.01, respectively; p < 0.001) and 10 weeks postoperatively (0.28 ± 0.01 and 0.19 ± 0.00, respectively; p < 0.001). Histological observations revealed that sensory-protected muscles underwent less atrophy.

Conclusion

Sensory protection delays atrophy in an end-to-side neurorrhaphy model.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

The experimental protocol was approved by the Animal Experiments Committee under the national Experiments on Animals Act and adhered to the rules laid down in this national law that serves the implementation of ‘Guidelines on the protection of experimental animals’ by the Council of Europe (1986), Directive 86/609/EC.

Results

Figure 2 demonstrates the mean muscle weight ratio. The difference between the sensory protection group and the control group was statistically significant at 5 (0.36 ± 0.01 and 0.29 ± 0.01, respectively; p < 0.001) and 10 weeks postoperatively (0.28 ± 0.01 and 0.19 ± 0.00, respectively; p < 0.001). In the figure, error bars indicate standard errors of the mean (SEM).

Cross-sections demonstrated less atrophy in the sensory protection group compared with the control group, as displayed in Figure 3. In

Discussion

This study shows that temporary innervation by a sensory nerve preserves muscle mass, as well as muscle architecture following denervation in an end-to-side neurorrhaphy model.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of sensory protection on denervated gastrocnemius muscle without repair of the tibial nerve. Our results are consistent with the results of a similar study, using an end-to-end neurorrhaphy model. Hynes et al.5 showed a statistically significant difference in muscle

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ineke Hekking and Mariken Zbinden for expert surgical assistance.

This research was supported by a grant no. SNO-T-08-22 from the Nuts-Ohra Foundation. There was no conflict of interest.

The experimental protocol was approved by the Animal Experiments Committee under the national Experiments on Animals Act and adhered to the rules laid down in this national law that serves the implementation of ‘Guidelines on the protection of experimental animals’ by the Council

References (12)

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This research was supported by a grant no. SNO-T-08-22 from the Nuts-Ohra Foundation.

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Copyright © 2010 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.