Brachial plexus repair by peripheral nerve grafts directly implanted into the contralateral spinal cord

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bertelli, Jayme Augusto^; | Taleb, Madjid | Mira, Jean-Claude | Calixto, Joao Batista | Kassar, Lina

Affiliations: Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Rua Ferreira Lima 82, Florianopolis, SC 88015-420, Brazil | Laboraloire de Neurobiologie, Université René Descartes, 45 rue des Saints-Peres, Paris 75006, France | Department of Microsurgery, Joana de Gusmao Childrens' Hospital, Praça Getulio Vargas, 322, Florianopolis, SC 88 020 030, Brazil

Note: [] Corresponding author: Praça Getulio Vargas 322, Florianopolis, SC 88020030, Brazil, Fax: +55-482-224028

Abstract: In the experiments reported here, the musculocutaneous nerve was repaired by peripheral nerve grafts directly implanted into the dorsal and ventral side of the contralateral spinal cord. Six months later, the brachial plexus involved was retrograde labelled with True Blue, while the contralateral side was labelled with Diamidino Yellow. Regenerated sensory ganglionic neurons were found between C3 and C8 in both sides of the spinal cord. Motoneurons were found only in the contralateral brachial plexus between C5 and C6, close to the graft implantation. No double-labelled neurons were found. Supernumerary axon regeneration from undamaged neurons was not observed in the current studies, in spite of axogenic influence of Schwann cells from the peripheral nerve grafts.

Keywords: Nerve repair, Nerve regeneration, Nerve grafts, Nerve transfer, Regeneration, Reinnervation, Skeletal-muscle

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-1997-11402

Journal: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 189-194, 1997