Facial Nerve Repair by Muscle-Vein Conduit in Rats: Functional Recovery and Muscle Reinnervation.

The facial nerve is the most frequently damaged nerve in head and neck traumata. Repair of interrupted nerves is generally reinforced by fine microsurgical techniques; nevertheless, regaining all functions is the exception rather than the rule. The so-called "postparalytic syndrome," which includes synkinesia and altered blink reflexes, follows nerve injury.

FGF-2 is required to prevent astrogliosis in the facial nucleus after facial nerve injury and mechanical stimulation of denervated vibrissal muscles.

Recently, we have shown that manual stimulation of paralyzed vibrissal muscles after facial-facial anastomosis reduced the poly-innervation of neuromuscular junctions and restored vibrissal whisking. Using gene knock outs, we found a differential dependence of manual stimulation effects on growth factors. Thus, insulin-like growth factor-1 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor are required to underpin manual stimulation-mediated improvements, whereas FGF-2 is not.

Does pulsed magnetic field therapy influence nerve regeneration in the median nerve model of the rat?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pulsed magnetic field therapy on peripheral nerve regeneration after median nerve injury and primary coaptation in the rat. Both median nerves were surgically exposed and denervated in 24 female Wistar rats. A microsurgical coaptation was performed on the right side, whereas on the left side a spontaneous healing was prevented.

Sensoric protection after median nerve injury: babysitter-procedure prevents muscular atrophy and improves neuronal recovery.

The babysitter-procedure might offer an alternative when nerve reconstruction is delayed in order to overcome muscular atrophy due to denervation. In this study we aimed to show that a sensomotoric babysitter-procedure after median nerve injury is capable of preserving irreversible muscular atrophy. The median nerve of 20 female Wistar rats was denervated.

Correlation analysis of histomorphometry and motor neurography in the median nerve rat model.

Objective: Standard methods to evaluate the functional regeneration after injury of the rat median nerve are insufficient to identify any further differences of axonal nerve regeneration after restitution of motor recovery is completed. An important complementary method for assessing such differences is a histomorphometric analysis of the distal to lesion nerve fibers. Recently, an electrophysiological method has been proposed as a sensitive method to examine the quality of axonal nerve regeneration.

Non-viral genetic transfection of rat Schwann cells with FuGENE HD© lipofection and AMAXA© nucleofection is feasible but impairs cell viability.

Purpose: To determine transfection efficiency of FuGENE HD© lipofection and AMAXA© nucleofection on rat Schwann cells (SC).

Methods: The ischiadic and median nerves of 6-8 week old Lewis rats were cultured in modified melanocyte-growth medium. SCs were genetically transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) as reporter gene using FuGENE HD© lipofection and AMAXA© nucleofection.

Non-invasive stimulation of the vibrissal pad improves recovery of whisking function after simultaneous lesion of the facial and infraorbital nerves in rats.

We have recently shown that manual stimulation of target muscles promotes functional recovery after transection and surgical repair to pure motor nerves (facial: whisking and blink reflex; hypoglossal: tongue position). However, following facial nerve repair, manual stimulation is detrimental if sensory afferent input is eliminated by, e.g.

Bioartificial reconstruction of peripheral nerves using the rat median nerve model.

Different bioartificial tubes were recommended for peripheral nerve reconstruction in the past. In order to replace autologous nerve grafts this materials are still under review in different animal studies. Most of them are dealing with the rodent peripheral nerves.

Application of two different hemostatic procedures during microsurgical median nerve reconstruction in the rat does not hinder axonal regeneration.

Background: Hemostatic procedures by means of electrical coagulation or application of topical agents are widely used to avoid postoperative bleeding during microsurgical reconstruction of peripheral nerves. It is speculated, however, that extensive hemostasis could provoke significant nerve damage.

Objective: To examine the effects of 2 intraoperative hemostatic procedures on peripheral nerve regeneration.

TRPV channel expression in human skin and possible role in thermally induced cell death.

Cell death via necrosis and apoptosis is a hallmark of deep dermal to full-thickness cutaneous burn injuries. Keratinocytes might act as thermosensory cells that transmit information regarding ambient temperature via heat-gated transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) ion channels. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of TRPV1, 2, 3, and 4 in uninjured and thermally burned skin.

Four-digit replantation in a mentally retarded person: a case report.

This report describes a case where 4 digits were replanted in a mentally retarded patient with a history of smoking and the inability to follow postoperative arrangements.

[Limited portal carpal tunnel release. An alternative to classic open release?].

The aim of this study was to determine the significance of limited portal carpal tunnel release compared to the classic open approach. We present a retrospective comparative clinical trial including 161 patients (105 open release and 56 limited portal release). Special interest was directed towards postoperative functionality, disorders and quality of life.

[Does additive spongiosaplasty improve outcome after surgical therapy for solitary enchondroma in the hand?].

Introduction: The necessity of spongiosaplasty in the treatment of solitary enchondroma in the hand has been a subject of controversial discussions for several years. Over a period of 10 years the authors performed single curettage without spongiosaplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate our results and to compare these findings with those of other studies.

Recovery of whisking function after manual stimulation of denervated vibrissal muscles requires brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tyrosine kinase B.

Functional recovery following facial nerve injury is poor. Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are "bridged" by terminal Schwann cells and numerous regenerating axonal sprouts. We have shown that this poly-innervation of NMJs can be reduced by manual stimulation (MS) with restoration of whisking function.

Immediate reconstruction of complex hand trauma with iliac crest bone graft and 2 pedicled fasciocutaneous skin flaps: a case report.

Objective: The decision about primary or staged reconstruction of all structures in severe hand injuries is controversial. The purpose of this case report is to present a surgical protocol that lead to good functional results and rapid recovery after primary bone grafting with pedicled flap coverage of a complex hand injury.

Methods: A case is reported in which 2 iliac crest bone grafts, an extended dorsal metacarpal artery flap and a heterodigital island flap, were performed at primary intervention to reconstruct the index and middle fingers of a 17-year-old patient.

One-stage ear reconstruction after avulsion injury, using the amputated cartilage and a retroauricular transposition flap.

Introduction: Auricular reattachment or reconstruction after traumatic ear loss remains a challenge for the plastic reconstructive surgeon. Because of the diverse accident mechanisms, no standard algorithms exist and several modalities have been proposed in the literature.

Methods: A case of an innovative ear reconstruction of a partially avulsed ear is presented.

Extreme microstomia in an 8-month-old infant: bilateral commissuroplasty using rhomboid buccal mucosa flaps.

Objective: A case of extreme microstomia in an 8-month-old infant is presented. As a result of caustic acid ingestion at the age of a few weeks, the male infant developed progressive stricture of the perioral region preventing him from normal food intake.

Methods: The patient was treated by bilateral commissurotomies and a total of 4 rhomboid flaps based in the buccal mucosa.

Recovery of whisking function promoted by manual stimulation of the vibrissal muscles after facial nerve injury requires insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

Recently, we showed that manual stimulation (MS) of denervated vibrissal muscles enhanced functional recovery following facial nerve cut and suture (FFA) by reducing poly-innervation at the neuro-muscular junctions (NMJ). Although the cellular correlates of poly-innervation are established, with terminal Schwann cells (TSC) processes attracting axon sprouts to "bridge" adjacent NMJ, molecular correlates are poorly understood. Since quantitative RT-PCR revealed a rapid increase of IGF-1 mRNA in denervated muscles, we examined the effect of daily MS for 2 months after FFA in IGF-1(+/-) heterozygous mice; controls were wild-type (WT) littermates including intact animals.

Local administration of DFO-loaded lipid particles improves recovery after end-to-end reconstruction of rat median nerve.

Purpose: The improvement of regeneration and functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury is a major challenge in neurosurgery. Although microsurgical techniques for nerve reconstruction have seen great advancements over the last years, the clinical outcome with patients is often unsatisfactory. The aim of the present study was to investigate if administration of the iron chelator Deferroxamine (DFO), can improve postoperative outcome in the rat median nerve reconstruction model.

Functional recovery after implantation of artificial nerve grafts in the rat- a systematic review.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare functional data of different nerve-gap bridging materials evaluated in rat experiments by means of a systematic review.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review was conducted, searching MEDLINE, HTS and CENTRAL to identify all trials evaluating functional recovery of artificial nerve conduits in the rat model.

Results: There was a trend towards a favourable outcome of conduits coated with Schwann-cells compared to the plain synthetics.

Efficacy of various durations of in vitro predegeneration on the cell count and purity of rat Schwann-cell cultures.

The efficacy of Schwann-cell cultivation can be enhanced by in vitro predegeneration of the harvested cells compared to immediate culture. The aim of this study was to improve Schwann-cell culture efficacy by comparing three different durations of predegeneration. The sciatic and median nerves of 6-8-week-old Lewis rats were harvested and subjected to either 2-day, 7-day, or 14-day predegeneration in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and 1% Penicillin/Streptomycin.