The Impact of Sciatic Nerve Injury on Extracellular Matrix of Lower Limb Muscle and Thoracolumbar Fascia: An Observational Study.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a complex clinical challenge resulting in functional disability. Neurological recovery does not always ensure functional recovery, as extracellular matrix (ECM) alterations affect muscle function. This study evaluates hyaluronan (HA) and collagen concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle and thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) in unilateral lower limb PNI rats to explore systemic ECM alterations following PNI and their impacts on functional recovery.

Myofascial junction: Emerging insights into the connection between deep/muscular fascia and muscle.

Muscles and fasciae are mutually connected and are influenced by force transmission. However, the anatomical connectivity and histological features of these structures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the evidence for connection between muscles and deep/muscular fasciae.

The suprapatellar fat pad: A histotopographic comparative study.

The suprapatellar fat pad is an adipose tissue located in the anterior knee whose role in osteoarthritis is still debated. Considering that anatomy drives function, the aim of this histotopographic study was to investigate the specific morphological features of the suprapatellar fat pad versus the infrapatellar fat pad in the absence of osteoarthritis, for a broad comparative analysis. Suprapatellar fat pad and infrapatellar fat pad tissue samples (n = 10/group) underwent microscopical/immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy analysis; thus, tissue-specific characteristics (i.

Development and preclinical evaluation of bioactive nerve conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration: A comparative study.

In severe peripheral nerve injuries, nerve conduits (NCs) are good alternatives to autografts/allografts; however, the results the available devices guarantee for are still not fully satisfactory. Herein, differently bioactivated NCs based on the new polymer oxidized polyvinyl alcohol (OxPVA) are compared in a rat model of sciatic nerve neurotmesis (gap: 5 mm; end point: 6 weeks). Thirty Sprague Dawley rats are randomized to 6 groups: Reverse Autograft (RA); Reaxon®; OxPVA; OxPVA + EAK (self-assembling peptide, mechanical incorporation); OxPVA + EAK-YIGSR (mechanical incorporation); OxPVA + Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (adsorption).

Detection of Mast Cells in Human Superficial Fascia.

The recent findings showed that the superficial fascia is a fibrous layer in the middle of hypodermis, richly innervated and vascularized, and more complex than so far demonstrated. This study showed the presence of mast cells in the superficial fascia of the human abdomen wall of three adult volunteer patients (mean age 42 ± 4 years; 2 females, 1 male), by Toluidine Blue and Safranin-O stains and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Mast cells are distributed among the collagen bundles and the elastic fibers, near the vessels and close to the nerves supplying the tissue, with an average density of 20.

Blood supply to the superficial fascia of the abdomen: An anatomical study.

The aim of this study was to examine data demonstrating that Scarpa's fascia, a superficial fascia of the anterior abdominal wall, is a vascularized tissue. Specimens of the fascia of seven volunteers undergoing abdominoplasty surgical procedures at the Plastic Surgery Unit of the University of Padova Medical Center were collected. Fractal analysis and quantitative assessment of the vascular network of the fascia was carried out, exploiting the presence of blood in the vessels.

Evidence of Renin-Angiotensin System Receptors in Deep Fascia: A Role in Extracellular Matrix Remodeling and Fibrogenesis?

Recent studies have shown that fascial fibroblasts are sensitive to different stimuli (biochemical or biophysical), promoting extracellular matrix remodeling, as well as synthetic activity. Moreover, the extensive literature on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) reported its involvement in tissue remodeling. This study aimed to investigate the presence of RAS components in the deep fascia.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy and acute cholecystitis: how, when and why.

Aim: Acute cholecystitis (AC) is one of the most frequent pathologies treated in urgency. An immediate surgical intervention for frail patients who are ineligible for surgery as a result of severe co-morbidities is questionable. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety and the management of percutaneous cholecistostomy (PC) in high-risk surgical patients.

The Effects of Aging on the Intramuscular Connective Tissue.

The intramuscular connective tissue plays a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the muscle and in providing mechanical support. The current study investigates age-related changes that may contribute to passive stiffness and functional impairment of skeletal muscles. Variations in the extracellular matrix in human quadriceps femoris muscles in 10 young men, 12 elderly males and 16 elderly females, and in the hindlimb muscles of 6 week old, 8 month old and 2 year old C57BL/6J male mice, were evaluated.

Innervation of human superficial fascia.

The superficial fascia has only recently been recognized as a specific anatomical structure. Furthermore, whereas it is actually recognized that the innervation of the deep/muscular fascia plays a key role in proprioception and nociception, there are very few studies that have analyzed these characteristics in the superficial fascia. In this work, our group analyzed two different anatomical districts (abdomen and thigh), from volunteer patients, undergoing surgery procedures.

Immediate Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Fascial Fibroblasts: An In Vitro Study.

Extracorporeal shock waves (ESWs) are used in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, but their role in the treatment of myofascial pain has not yet been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in cell biology of fibroblasts derived from deep/muscular fascia following treatment with ESWs. Primary fascial fibroblasts were collected from small samples of human fascia lata of the thigh of three volunteer patients (two men, one woman) during orthopedic surgery, and put in culture.

Fascial Innervation: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Currently, myofascial pain has become one of the main problems in healthcare systems. Research into its causes and the structures related to it may help to improve its management. Until some years ago, all the studies were focused on muscle alterations, as trigger points, but recently, fasciae are starting to be considered a new, possible source of pain.

Age-Related Alterations of Hyaluronan and Collagen in Extracellular Matrix of the Muscle Spindles.

Background: Muscle spindles (MSs) play a crucial role in proprioception and locomotor coordination. Although the elasticity and viscosity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) within which MSs are embedded may play a key role in MS function, the impact of aging on ECM components is unclear. The aim of the current study was to investigate the age-related physiological changes of the ECM and to verify if these could be due to alterations of the environment directly surrounding MSs.

Fascia Lata Alterations in Hip Osteoarthritis: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.

The present study compares the structure and composition of fascia lata in healthy subjects and in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA), to evaluate any differences in the amount of Collagen type I, Collagen type III, and Hyaluronan. Fascia lata samples from voluntary healthy subjects and patients with OA were harvested during surgery. Collagen type I (COL I), III (COL III) antibody, and biotinylated hyaluronan binding protein (HABP) immunohistochemistry stainings were used to evaluate fascial morphology and COL I, COL III, and Hyaluronan (HA) content in both groups.

Ideal level of ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery. An old debate for a current surgical approach.

Aim: The ideal level of ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) during resection for colorectal cancer is still controversial. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the real advantages and, above all, the adequacy of oncological staging after a low ligation of the IMA with additional LN retrieval in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2013 and December 2020, 157 patients who underwent curative resection of a primary colorectal tumor were retrospectively included: 64 patients underwent high ligation of the IMA and 93 patients underwent low ligation of the IMA with additional LN retrieval.

Diabetic Foot: The Role of Fasciae, a Narrative Review.

Wound healing is an intricate, dynamic process, in which various elements such as hyperglycemia, neuropathy, blood supply, matrix turnover, wound contraction, and the microbiome all have a role in this "out of tune" diabetic complex symphony, particularly noticeable in the complications of diabetic foot. Recently it was demonstrated that the fasciae have a crucial role in proprioception, muscular force transmission, skin vascularization and tropism, and wound healing. Indeed, the fasciae are a dynamic multifaceted meshwork of connective tissue comprised of diverse cells settled down in the extracellular matrix and nervous fibers; each constituent plays a particular role in the fasciae adapting in various ways to the diverse stimuli.

Elastic Fibres in the subcutaneous tissue: Is there a difference between superficial and muscular fascia? A cadaver study.

Background: In last years the role of fascia in proprioception and pain has been confirmed in numerous papers, but the real structure of fasciae is not still entirely known. To date, many studies have evaluated the elastic fibres in arteries, ligaments, lungs, epidermis and dermis, but only two studies exist about the elastic fibres in the fasciae, and they did not distinguish between superficial (in the subcutaneous tissue) and deep/muscular fasciae. The aim of the study was to assess the percentage of elastic fibres between superficial and deep fascia.

Evidence of a new hidden neural network into deep fasciae.

It is recognized that different fasciae have different type of innervation, but actually nothing is known about the specific innervation of the two types of deep fascia, aponeurotic and epymisial fascia. In this work the aponeurotic thoracolumbar fascia and the epymisial gluteal fascia of seven adult C57-BL mice were analysed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and floating immunohistochemistry with the aim to study the organization of nerve fibers, the presence of nerve corpuscles and the amount of autonomic innervation. The antibodies used were Anti-S100, Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Anti-PGP, specific for the Schwann cells forming myelin, the sympathetic nerve fibers, and the peripheral nerve fibers, respectively.