Histologic Comparision of Nerve Regeneration Between Vascularized and Non-vascularized Nerve Graft

Since the first introduction of nerve graft in 1870. it had been applied to various nerve defects. Recently. the vascularized nerve graft has been used in the scarred recipient bed or thick or wide nerve defect.

This study was designed to see the difference in duration of early ischemic period and in light and electron microscopic findings between non-vascularized and vascularized nerve graft.

We had 8 groups of mixed bleed rabbits, consisting 3 in each group of control. POD# 1, 2 & 7-day and 2, 4, 8 and l2wecks respectively. In each animal, one femoral nerve was grafted with femorl artery maintaining vasa nervorum in its own site as vascularized nerve graft. and only the femorl nerve was grafted in opposite side for non-vascularized nerve graft. To compare the early vascularity in POD# 1. 2. 7-day groups. India ink was perfused after saline solution perfusion through left ventricle. To observe the histologic findings of control. postoperative 2, 4, 8 & 12th-week group. 3% paraformaldehyde and 3% glutaraldehyde were perfused systemically through left ventricle and postfixed with 1% osmium tetroxide.

The results was as follows ;

1) Vascularized nerve graft of POD 1, 2 & 7-day groups and non-vascularized nerve graft of POD 7-day showed India ink filling in capillaries grossly and microscopically.

2) The numbers of myelinated axons and diameter of axon did not show statisically significant difference between non-vascularized & vascularized graft at 2, 4 and 8-week after the operation.

3) Only the group of 12-week postoperation showed significant difference in number of myelinated axons between two groups(p<O.05).

I concluded vascularized nerve graft gave more rapid repair than non-vascularized nerve graft and recommended vascularized nerve graft for thick or wide defect.