Effect of the perineurial vascular net on experimental grafting of the inferior alveolar nerve.

For optimum nerve repair, it is imperative that free autogenous nerve grafts be used in cases when peripheral nerve loss is great. This study was performed to determine the influence of the perineurial vascular net on nerve regeneration in such grafts. It was concluded that nerve grafting is more likely to be successful if suturing of the epineurium and perineurium is precise and if a dense vascular net in the recipient bed, but not around the graft, is retained.