REINNERVATION AFTER NERVE SUTURE IN RAT GROIN FLAPS

Regeneration of sensory and adrenergic nerves in the skin was studied in rats. The aim was to investigate the effect of reanastomosing the c ut nerve ends of the nerve trunk leading to the microvascular groin fl ap. Reinnervation was demonstrated immunohistochemically using calcito nin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as marker for sensory nerves, neuropep tide Y (NPY) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) as markers for adrenergic n erves and Protein Gene Product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) as general neuronal marke r. It was demonstrated that reanastomosing of the nerve trunk was favo urable for both the sensory and sympathetic reinnervation of microsurg ical flaps. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.