Optimizing decellularization techniques to create a new nerve allograft: an in vitro study using rodent nerve segments.

OBJECTIVE Commercially available processed nerve allografts have been shown to be inferior to autografts in previous animal studies. The authors hypothesized that combining different processing and storage techniques will result in improved nerve ultrastructure preservation, lower immunogenicity, and minimized cellular debris. Different processing protocols were evaluated using chemical detergents, enzymes, and irradiation, with the addition the of enzyme elastase, were used.

Motor Nerve Recovery in a Rabbit Model: Description and Validation of a Noninvasive Ultrasound Technique.

Purpose: To develop and validate a noninvasive ultrasound technique for the longitudinal analysis of functional recovery after segmental peroneal nerve reconstruction in a rabbit model.

Methods: Twelve male New Zealand White rabbits underwent a 1-cm peroneal nerve autograft reconstruction. Ultrasound measurements were performed before surgery and at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks postoperatively.

Long-term follow-up of peptidergic and nonpeptidergic reinnervation of the epidermis following sciatic nerve reconstruction in rats.

Object: Peripheral nerve injuries are a commonly encountered clinical problem and often result in long-term functional deficits. The current gold standard for transected nerves is an end-to-end reconstruction, which results in the intermittent appearance of neuropathic pain.

Methods: To improve our understanding of the relation between this type of reconstruction and neuropathic pain, the authors transected and immediately end-to-end reconstructed the sciatic nerve in rats.

Ultrasonographic quantification of intrinsic hand muscle cross-sectional area; reliability and validity for predicting muscle strength.

Objective: To investigate whether ultrasonographic measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the intrinsic hand muscles can be used to predict muscle strength in a valid and reliable manner, and to determine if this method can be used for follow-up of patients with peripheral nerve injury between the wrist and elbow.

Design: Repeated-measures cross-sectional study.

Setting: Clinical and academic hospital.

Prognostic factors for outcome after median, ulnar, and combined median-ulnar nerve injuries: a prospective study.

Background: A major problem in the surgical treatment of peripheral nerve injuries of the upper extremities is the unpredictable final outcome. More insight and understanding of the prognostic factors is necessary to improve functional outcome after repair of the peripheral nerves. The objective of this study was to identify prognostic factors for the functional recovery of peripheral nerve injury of the forearm and their independent contribution in the outcome in the first year after reconstruction.

The effect of stem cells in bridging peripheral nerve defects: a meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: OBJECT.: For decades the gold standard for reconstructing a large peripheral nerve defect has been, and remains, the nerve autograft. Alternatives to the nerve autograft include biological conduits and vessels.

An experimental study to determine and correlate choline acetyltransferase assay with functional muscle testing after nerve injury.

OBJECT Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) is an enzyme synthesized within the body of a motor neuron whose role is to form the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Quantification of ChAT levels in motor or mixed nerves has been proposed to provide information regarding the viability of a proximal nerve stump for motor neurotization following brachial plexus injury. To do so requires information regarding normal ChAT levels and those in injured nerves, as well as the correlation of ChAT level determined at surgery with eventual motor recovery.

Early posttraumatic psychological stress following peripheral nerve injury: a prospective study.

Background: Psychological symptoms frequently accompany severe injuries of the upper extremities and are described to influence functional outcome. As yet, little knowledge is available about the occurrence of posttraumatic psychological stress and the predictive characteristics of peripheral nerve injuries of the upper extremity for such psychological symptoms. In this prospective study, the incidence of different aspects of early posttraumatic stress in patients with peripheral nerve injury of the forearm is studied as well as the risk factors for the occurrence of early psychological stress.

A new approach to assess the gastrocnemius muscle volume in rodents using ultrasound; comparison with the gastrocnemius muscle index.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a new non-invasive ultrasound technique to measure gastrocnemius muscle atrophy after nerve denervation in an animal model.

Methods: In sixteen rodents an eight mm sciatic nerve gap was created. In the following 8 weeks, each week, two rodents were euthanized and the gastrocnemius muscle was examined using two different ultrasound systems and two investigators.

Osteoradionecrosis of the jaws: a review of conservative and surgical treatment options.

Although surgery still is the most important treatment modality in the management of head and neck cancer, radiotherapy is increasingly being used. Consequently, the majority of head and neck cancer patients are at risk of developing osteoradionecrosis of the jaws, which is the most serious and important complication of radiotherapy. This review presents the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, classification, and prevention of osteoradionecrosis.

Natural conduits for bridging a 15-mm nerve defect: comparison of the vein supported by muscle and bone marrow stromal cells with a nerve autograft.

Object: The gold standard for reconstructing large nerve defects, the nerve autograft, results in donor-site morbidity. This detrimental consequence drives the search for alternatives. We used a vein filled with a small piece of fresh muscle to prevent the vein from collapsing and with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) to enhance regeneration.

Rewarming patterns in hand fracture patients with and without cold intolerance.

Purpose: It is often assumed that cold intolerance is associated with abnormalities in the skin temperature due to changes in the blood flow of the hands. In this study, we determined whether patients with and without cold intolerance after a hand fracture or healthy controls have a diminished rewarming after a cold stimulus.

Methods: The severity of cold intolerance was evaluated using the Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (CISS) questionnaire.

Isogenic venous graft supported with bone marrow stromal cells as a natural conduit for bridging a 20 mm nerve gap.

In this study, we introduce a technique for bridging large neural gaps, using an isogenic vein graft supported with isogenic bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC). In three groups a nerve defect of 20 mm was bridged with a vein graft. Our first experimental group comprized an empty venous graft, in group II the venous nerve graft was filled with saline where as in group III the venous nerve graft was filled with BMSC.