Bridging Peripheral Nerve Defects Using a Single-Fascicle Nerve Graft

Abstract

The criterion standard of nerve reconstruction is an autologous nerve graft, identical in cross-section to the severed nerve stumps. This study investigates single-fascicle nerve transplantation to bridge nerve defects. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats, each weighing approximately 225 g, were randomized into five groups. Groups A and B were the positive and negative control groups, respectively. In the experimental groups (groups C, D, and E), a nerve defect of 25 mm was created in the right sciatic nerve and reconstructed with a reversed sciatic nerve graft, a three-fascicle sural nerve graft, or a single-fascicle sural nerve graft, respectively. Functional muscle evaluation of the triceps surae differed significantly among the reverse nerve (group C, n=10; 600±154.16 mN), triple-fascicle (group D, n=10; 411±262 mN), and single-fascicle (group E, n=10; 324±215.8 mN) graft groups (p<0.05). The results of retrograde labeling of the reverse nerve group (group C, 518±2) showed that there were twice as many motor neurons as in the three-fascicle nerve group (group D, 221±19). In the single-fascicle nerve group, motor neurons were scarce and faintly labeled (group E, 180±25). The results showed that single-fascicle nerve grafting has potential for good functional nerve regeneration.