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A magnetic evaluation of peripheral nerve regeneration: I. The discrepancy between magnetic and histologic data from the proximal segment
Author(s) -
Kuypers Paul D.L.,
van Egeraat Jan M.,
Dudok v Heel Michiel,
van Briemen Lourens J.,
Godschalk Moshe,
Hovius Steven E.R.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199806)21:6<739::aid-mus5>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - peripheral nerve , regeneration (biology) , peripheral , anatomy , medicine , median nerve , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Histologic techniques can quantify the number of axons in a nerve, but give no information about electrical conductibility. The number of functional myelinated neuronal units in a nerve can be quantified based on a magnetic recording technique. When studying reconstructed peripheral nerves a significant difference between the results found with these two techniques can be observed. A comparison was made between the long‐term changes in the number of histologically and magnetoneurophysiologically measured neuronal units proximal to a nerve reconstruction. This study was performed on 6 New Zealand White rabbits, 20 weeks after the peroneal nerve had been reconstructed. The contralateral nerves were used as a control. Histologic examination demonstrates a statistically significant decrease of approximately 5% in the number of myelinated fibers. The magnetoneurophysiological results demonstrate a decrease which is estimated to be caused by the loss of approximately 50% of the functional myelinated neuronal units in the nerve. Therefore we conclude that of the initially available myelinated neuronal units, 5% degenerate completely, 45% are vital but lose their signal conducting capability, and the remaining 50% are vital and continue to conduct signals. Apparently, only this latter group of 50% of the initially available functional neuronal units appears to remain available for functional recovery. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21:739–749, 1998.