Evaluation of microsurgical methods for peripheral nerve repair (author's transl)

Abstract

The great sciatic nerve of the rabbit was sharply severed and immediately repaired by means either of nerve suture or nerve graft. The rate of axoplasmic flow, nerve conduction velocity, and chronaxie were measured two months after the operation, and the state of nerve regeneration was compared with respect to the methods of nerve repair. The axoplasmic flow of the sensory nerve fibers favored perineurial suture, whereas the restoration of the nerve conduction velocity and the excitability of the motor nerve fibers was better, although not significantly, following epineurial suture, when a comparison was made between the methods of nerve suture. When nerve graft was compared with nerve suture, the axoplasmic flow and, to a lesser extent, the excitability were superior after the nerve graft. However, excellent recovery of the nerve conduction velocity was shown in the nerve suture. Repair of peripheral nerve injury seems to be one of the surgical techniques in which the use of microsurgery is undoubtedly advantageous. From the present results, however, it seems unwarranted to think that the use of microsurgical techniques in peripheral nerve surgery necessarily leads to an improvement in operative results. Assessment of ultimate functional recovery of the peripheral nerves following microsurgical methods of nerve repair is presently of urgent importance.