Abstract
Traumatic nerve injuries continue to be considered a challenge in the field of nerve
microsurgical reconstruction. Despite the advances in microsurgical repair techniques,
motor function recovery is not adequate in severe nerve injuries, especially when
there is separation of the motor nerve from the muscle tissue. The technique of reinnervating
skeletal muscles by insertion within it of a donor nerve was developed at the beginning
of the 20th century during World War I, when injuries and poliomyelitis produced paralytics
for whom no therapy was available. Only a few reports of clinically successful reinnervation
exist, and clinical application of the method during the following decades has been
limited. However, the functional value of this procedure remains a matter of controversy.
The purpose of this review is to present what is known in basic science about direct
neurotization of muscle along with a brief historical review.
Keywords
direct neurotization of muscle - muscle denervation - nerve repair - nerve regeneration
