ASSESSMENT OF INTRANEURAL OXYGEN-TENSION AND BLOOD-FLOW IN A MOBILIZED PERIPHERAL-NERVE MODEL

Extensive mobilization of injured peripheral nerves is often required to allow a tension-free repair. The purpose of this study was to deter mine the effect of surgical mobilization and division on intraneural b lood flow and oxygen tension in a rat sciatic nerve model. The right a nd left sciatic nerves were exposed in male Lewis rats. Four experimen tal groups were studied: 1) nerve in situ/intact (n = 7); 2) nerve mob ilized and intact (n = 7); 3) nerve in situ/divided (n = 7); and 4) ne rve mobilized and divided (n = 7). Intraneural oxygen tension and bloo d flow were measured postoperatively. Mean oxygen tension (mmHg) in mo bilized/intact nerves (17.47 +/- 4.79) was significantly lower than in in situ/intact nerves (38.32 +/- 5.16) [p < 0.05]. Mean oxygen tensio n in mobilized/divided nerves (3.10 +/-: 1.25) was significantly lower than in in situ/divided nerves (30.30 +/- 6.36) [p < 0.005]. Laser Do ppler flow (ml/min/100 g) in mobilized divided nerves (11.31 +/- 1.81) was significantly lower than in in situ/divided nerves (25.60 +/- 3.3 1) [p < 0.05]. Laser Doppler flow in mobilized/intact nerves was not s tatistically significantly different from in situ/intact nerves. Mobil ization of the extrinsic blood supply was shown to significantly lower intraneural oxygen tension and laser Doppler flow in mobilized intact and divided rat peripheral nerves.