[Sliding of the distal epineural sheath to cover nerve defects].

Autologous nerve grafting is the most referred technique for bridging neural gaps. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of distally sliding the epineurial sheath to cover a defect created in the left sciatic nerve of the rat. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham (n=6), in which the sciatic nerve was dissected but left intact; conventional suture (CS, n=7), in which a transverse section of the sciatic nerve was followed by an epineurial suture; sliding of the distal epineurial sheath (SDES, n=7), in which a 5 mm resection of the nerve was conducted, followed by a circumferential cut in the distal epineurium, and the epineurial sheath was slid down and sutured into the distal end of the epineurium of the proximal stump.