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Nerve repair by means of vein filled with muscle grafts. II. Morphological analysis of regeneration
Author(s) -
Battiston Bruno,
Tos Pierluigi,
Geuna Stefano,
GiacobiniRobecchi Maria G.,
Guglielmone Renzo
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2752(2000)20:1<37::aid-micr7>3.0.co;2-5
Subject(s) - regeneration (biology) , medicine , anatomy , ultrastructure , sciatic nerve , nerve fiber , epineurial repair , schwann cell , electron microscope , muscle fibre , vein , nerve repair , peripheral nerve , surgery , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , skeletal muscle , physics , optics
The morphological features of regeneration in long‐distance (3 cm) muscle‐vein‐combined grafts were experimentally investigated in the rat sciatic nerve by means of light and electron microscopy. In the early phases of regeneration (14 days after surgery), many regenerating nerve fibers were detected along the muscle‐vein‐combined graft. Six months after surgery, quantitative morphometrical analysis of myelinated nerve fibers showed that both the total number and density of myelinated nerve fibers were significantly greater in regenerated nerves than in control nerves. The contrary appeared true for the mean fiber size, with fiber size significantly smaller in regenerated nerves. Ultrastructural observations allowed the description of some peculiar aspects of the relationship between muscle fibers, nerve fibers, and Schwann cells in both early and late phases of regeneration. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 20:37–41 2000