Rat intercostal nerves as experimental nerve grafts.

In this study, we dissected and measured both sets of intercostal nerves including lengths, diameters, and axon counts in 12 adult rats to provide data applicable to experimental nerve graft research. Dissections showed that total lengths of intercostal nerves from the spinal bifurcation to their last arborizations near the midline ranged from 10 to 89 mm, and diameters ranged from less than 0.1 to 0.5 mm from the thinnest to the thickest part. The segment of easiest dissection was the part between the spinal bifurcation and the lateral cutaneous branch. This part was 4-27 mm (mean, 13.3 mm) long and had an almost constant diameter of 0.18-0.5 mm (mean, 0.32 mm). Counts ranged from 201 to 566 axons/ nerve. The segment proximal to the lateral cutaneous branch was the most convenient part to be harvested as a nerve graft, especially in the 8th to 12th intercostal nerves. These nerves could serve as sources for experimental grafts.