Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2018, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (2): 360-365.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.226426

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Relationship of distraction rate with inferior alveolar nerve degeneration-regeneration shift

Ying-hua Zhao1, Shi-jian Zhang2, 3, Zi-hui Yang4, Xiao-chang Liu5, De-lin Lei4, Jing Li1, Lei Wang2, 3, 4   

  1. 1 Department of Stomatology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
    2 Department of Oral & Maxillofacial-Head & Neck Oncology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,Shanghai, China
    3 Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center of Stomatology,Shanghai, China
    4 Department of Oral Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
    5 Medical Team of 66018 PLA Troops, Beijing, China
  • Received:2017-11-25 Online:2018-02-15 Published:2018-02-15
  • Contact: Jing Li, M.D., Ph.D. or Lei Wang, M.D., Ph.D.,lpplj87@126.com or wangleizyh@aliyun.com.
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81270015 and 81771046.

PDF

218

Abstract:

Distraction osteogenesis is an important technique for the treatment of maxillofacial abnormities and defects. However, distraction osteogenesis may cause the injury of the inferior alveolar nerve. The relationship between distraction rate and nerve degeneration-regeneration shift remains poorly understood. In this study, 24 rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. To establish the rabbit mandibular distraction osteogenesis model, the mandibles of rabbits in distraction osteogenesis groups were subjected to continuous osteogenesis distraction at a rate of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mm/d, respectively, by controlling rounds of screwing each day in the distractors. In the sham group,mandible osteotomy was performed without distraction. Pin-prick test with a 10 g blunt pin on the labium, histological and histomorphometric analyses with methylene blue staining, Bodian’s silver staining, transmission electron microscopy and myelinated fiber density of inferior alveolar nerve cross-sections were performed to assess inferior alveolar nerve conditions. At 28 days after model establishment, in the pin-prick test, the inferior alveolar nerve showed no response in the labium to a pin pricks in the 2 mm/d group, indicating a severe dysfunction. Histological and histomorphometric analyses indicated that the inferior alveolar nerve suffered more degeneration and injuries at a high distraction rate (2 mm/d). Importantly, the nerve regeneration, indicated by newborn Schwann cells and axons, was more abundant in 1.0 and 1.5 mm/d groups than in 2.0 mm/d group. We concluded that the distraction rate was strongly associated with the inferior alveolar nerve function, and the distraction rates of 1.0 and 1.5 mm/d had regenerative effects on the inferior alveolar nerve. This study provides an experimental basis for the relationship between distraction rate and nerve degeneration-regeneration shift during distraction osteogenesis, and may facilitate reducing nerve complications during distraction osteogenesis.

Key words: nerve regeneration, distraction osteogenesis, stress, nerve degeneration, demyelination, nerve histomorphometry, inferior alveolar nerve, transmission electron microscopy, mandible, rabbit, neural regeneration