Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2015; 63(08): 720-722
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1390046
Original Thoracic
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Can Thoracic Sympathetic Nerve Damage Be Reversed?

M. Muharrem Erol
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Hakan Salcı
2   Department of Surgery, Uludag University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Hüseyin Melek
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Tuncay İlhan
3   Department of Histology, Uludag University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Nesrin Özfiliz
3   Department of Histology, Uludag University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Ahmet Sami Bayram
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
,
Cengiz Gebitekin
1   Department of Thoracic Surgery, Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

01 July 2014

31 July 2014

Publication Date:
16 September 2014 (online)

Abstract

Background Function of the thoracic sympathetic chain (TSC) reportedly recovers after surgical clips are removed. Hence, this study was designed to study nerve regeneration after unclipping the TSC.

Methods The bilateral TSCs of six goats were studied; the goats were separated into three groups (groups I, II, and III) during excision, clipping, and unclipping. During surgery, the TSCs were excised with a scalpel in group I and clipped in groups II and III. In group III, the clips were removed 1 month postoperatively and observed for possible nerve healing for 1 month. All TSCs were examined histologically following en block resection at 1 month postoperatively in groups I and II and at 2 months postoperatively in group III.

Results Inflammation in nerve sections was noted following clip removal. Furthermore, there was significant degeneration and cell infiltration in the nerve fibers of the clipped regions. The Schwann cells around the peripheral nerve endings in the unclipped regions facilitated nerve transmission by reconstitution of myelin.

Conclusion Clipping the TSC can cause histologic degeneration; however, histologic nerve regeneration occurs after unclipping.

 
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