Two end-to-side neurorrhaphies and nerve graft with removal of the epineural sheath: experimental study in rats.

We have studied a new type of end-to-side nerve repair in rats. The healthy (donor) nerve was not divided but an epineural window was created. In our experiment, a nerve graft bridged the tibial nerve to the distal end of the divided peroneal nerve. Electrophysiological studies showed electrical impulses conducted through both end-to-side nerve junctions. Histological studies demonstrated axons leaving the lateral surface of the healthy (donor) nerve. Based on these observations, we suggest that end-to-side neurorrhaphy from a healthy nerve may bridge a neural deficit.