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The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on early regeneration of sensory axons after nerve crush in the rat
Author(s) -
Bajrović Fajko F.,
Sketelj Janez,
Jug Marko,
Gril Iztok,
Mekjavić Igor B.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of the peripheral nervous system
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1529-8027
pISSN - 1085-9489
DOI - 10.1046/j.1529-8027.2002.02020.x
Subject(s) - axon , sural nerve , crush injury , medicine , regeneration (biology) , sensory system , sciatic nerve , sensory nerve , anatomy , anesthesia , hyperbaric oxygen , neurofilament , surgery , immunohistochemistry , pathology , biology , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology
The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO) on sensory axon regeneration was examined in the rat. The sciatic nerve was crushed in both legs. In addition, the distal stump of the sural nerve on one side was made acellular and its blood perfusion was compromised by freezing and thawing. Two experimental groups received hyperbaric exposures (2.5 ATA) to either compressed air (pO 2 = 0.5 ATA) or 100% oxygen (pO 2 = 2.5 ATA) 90 minutes per day for 6 days. Sensory axon regeneration in the sural nerve was thereafter assessed by the nerve pinch test and immunohistochemical reaction to neurofilament. HBO treatment increased the distances reached by the fastest regenerating sensory axons by about 15% in the distal nerve segments with preserved and with compromised blood perfusion. There was no significant difference between the rats treated with different oxygen tensions. The total number of regenerated axons in the distal sural nerve segments after a simple crush injury was not affected, whereas in the nerve segments with compromised blood perfusion treated by the higher pO 2 , the axon number was about 30% lower than that in the control group. It is concluded that the beneficial effect of HBO on sensory axon regeneration is not dose‐dependent between 0.5 and 2.5 ATA pO 2 . Although the exposure to 2.5 ATA of pO 2 moderately enhanced early regeneration of the fastest sensory axons, it decreased the number of regenerating axons in the injured nerves with compromised blood perfusion of the distal nerve stump.