A Comparative Experimental Study of Vascularized and Nonvascularized Nerve Grafts

Hideo Kawai; Marielle Baudrimont; Vincent Travers; Laurent Sedel

doi:10.1055/s-2007-1006827

Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Table of Contents

J Reconstr Microsurg 1990; 6(3): 255-259
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1006827

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A Comparative Experimental Study of Vascularized and Nonvascularized Nerve Grafts

Hideo Kawai, Marielle Baudrimont, Vincent Travers, Laurent Sedel

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan, Orthopaedic Services, Hôpital Saint-Antoine and Hôpital Saint-Louis, and Central Service of Anatomy and Cytologic Pathology, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In order to compare vascularized and nonvascularized nerve grafts in a normal bed, 96 median nerve grafts were performed in rabbits. The median nerves were grafted in situ bilaterally, whether vascularized or nonvascularized. The length of the grafts was 2 cm, 4 cm, or 6 cm. A morphometric study was performed eight weeks and 24 weeks after the operation. No significant differences were found between vascularized and nonvascularized grafts at the same levels of nerve grafts. However, significant differences between vascularized and nonvascularized grafts were found for 4-cm and 6-cm grafts at eight weeks, and for 6-cm grafts at 24 weeks postoperatively, comparing the proximal normal nerve segments with the nerve segments distal to the nerve grafts.

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