Using intact nerve to bridge peripheral nerve defects: an alternative to the use of nerve grafts.

This preliminary study was conducted to determine whether a regenerating peripheral nerve in a rat model can use the epineurium of an intact nerve to bridge a nerve gap defect. To create the intact nerve bridge a 1-cm segment of the peroneal nerve is resected leaving a gap defect. The proximal and distal peroneal nerve stumps are sutured 1-cm apart, in an end-to-side fashion, to the epineurium of the intact tibial nerve. The following experimental groups were used (n = 12): group A, immediate primary repair of resected segment; group B, intact nerve bridge technique; group C, nerve autograft; and group D, gap in situ control. Evaluation 12 weeks after surgery included measurement of the tibialis anterior muscle contraction force, axonal counting, wet weight of the tibialis anterior muscle, and histologic examination. The results of this animal study support 3 main conclusions: regenerating axons can use the epineurium of an intact nerve to bridge a gap in nerve continuity; when using functional recovery to assess regeneration, there is no significant difference between standard nerve autografts and the intact nerve bridge technique; and based on histologic examination, the intact nerve bridge technique does not injure the intact tibial nerve used to bridge the gap defect. Taken together, the results of this preliminary animal study suggest that the intact nerve bridge technique may be a potential alternative to standard nerve autografts in appropriate circumstances. Further investigation in a higher animal model is warranted before considering clinical application of the intact nerve bridge technique.