RESULTS OF TERMINO-LATERAL NEURORRHAPHY TO ORIGINAL AND ADJACENT NERVES

In this comprehensive investigation, we studied three different neuror rhaphy models in an attempt to elucidate the potential of termino-late ral nerve repair to original and adjacent nerves. In experimental grou p I, the peroneal nerve was sectioned and then attached to the posteri or tibial nerve in a termino-lateral fashion. In experiment group 2, t he motor nerves to the gastrocnemius muscle were sectioned and then at tached to the posterior tibial nerve in a termino-lateral fashion. In experimental group 3, the obturator nerve (L2-4) was sectioned and att ached to the sciatic nerve (L4-6) in a termino-lateral fashion. For th e control in each group, the same type of nerve used in each respectiv e group was transected without repair. Experimental groups 1 and 2 sho wed viable axons in the peroneal nerve distal to the neurorrhaphy site . Experimental group 3 showed no viable axons at these sites. No regen eration was observed in the transected nerve without repair in all thr ee control groups. This study suggests that termino-lateral neurorrhap hy is a viable means of repairing damaged nerves if the distal segment of the sectioned nerve is reattached to its original trunk distal to its original branch point. However, the results from experimental grou p 3 demonstrate that termino-lateral neurorrhaphy cannot be used to re pair nerves when the donor and recipient nerves originate from differe nt spinal cord levels. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.