Ulnar nerve repair by end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy on the median nerve with interposition of a vein: An experimental study

Our study used a rat animal model to verify that Schwann cell migration, collateral axonal sprouting, and regeneration were not hindered by interposition of a 10‐mm vein segment between the distal stump of the transected ulnar nerve and the donor median nerve in end‐to‐side reconstruction. Reconstructed nerves were withdrawn at 7, 14, 30, and 60 days after surgery, then analyzed by confocal laser microscopy after immunolabeling with anti‐neurofilament‐200 kD (an axonal marker) and anti‐S100 (a glial marker) antibodies. Results are reported at 7, 14, 30, and 60 days after surgery. Our observations indicate that chemotactic factors that stimulate end‐to‐side nerve regeneration can exert their action at this distance. These findings suggest a possible clinical application for this surgical technique in cases when the severed nerve stump is far from the potential donor nerve. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2007.

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