Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2012, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (29): 2273-2278.

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Direct muscle neurotization after end-to-end and end-to-side neurorrhaphy An experimental study in the rat forelimb model

Igor Papalia1, Giulia Ronchi2, Luisa Muratori2, Alessandra Mazzucco2, Ludovico Magaudda1, Stefano Geuna2   

  1. 1 Department of Biomorphology and Biotechnologies, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy
    2 Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (NICO) & Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Torino 10043, Italy
  • Received:2012-05-11 Revised:2012-07-10 Online:2012-10-15 Published:2012-10-15
  • Contact: Stefano Geuna, M.D., Associate Professor, Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (NICO) & Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Torino 10043, Italy stefano.geuna@unito.it
  • About author:Igor Papalia, Associate professor, Department of Biomorphology and Biotechnologies, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy

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Abstract:

The need for the continuous research of new tools for improving motor function recovery after nerve injury is justified by the still often unsatisfactory clinical outcome in these patients. It has been previously shown that the combined use of two reconstructive techniques, namely end-to-side neurorrhaphy and direct muscle neurotization in the rat hindlimb model, can lead to good results in terms of skeletal muscle reinnervation. Here we show that, in the rat forelimb model, the combined use of direct muscle neurotization with either end-to-end or end-to-side neurorrhaphy to reinnervate the denervated flexor digitorum muscles, leads to muscle atrophy prevention over a long postoperative time lapse (10 months). By contrast, very little motor recovery (in case of end-to-end neurorrhaphy) and almost no motor recovery (in case of end-to-side neurorrhaphy) were observed in the grasping activity controlled by flexor digitorum muscles. It can thus be concluded that, at least in the rat, direct muscle neurotization after both end-to-end and end-to-side neurorrhaphy represents a good strategy for preventing denervation-related muscle atrophy but not for regaining the lost motor function.

Key words: nerve injury, nerve reconstruction, microsurgery, axonal regeneration, denervation, muscle atrophy, Schwann cells, stereology, grasping test, rats