Peripheral mononeuropathy induced by loose ligation of the sciatic nerve in the rat: behavioral, electrophysiological and histopathologic studies.

The relationship between clinical parameters and pathological changes was investigated in an animal model of mononeuropathy, by behavioral, electrophysiological and histopathological methods. Mononeuropathy was induced in rats by loosely tying ligatures around the sciatic nerve. Eighty-four rats were used, and these were divided into fourteen groups to determine chronological changes in the withdrawal reflex latency, nerve conduction velocity and ultrastructure of the nerve from 1 to 84 days after nerve ligation surgery. Pathological changes around the ligated nerves were divisible in three phases: the first week was an inflammatory phase, when axonal degeneration, phagocyte infiltration and interstitial edematous changes were observed. The second and third weeks were a nerve-sprouting phase, when numerous axonal sprouts and remyelination were seen. The fourth to twelfth weeks were a recovery phase in which maturing myelination and interstitial fibrosis were characteristic. In the inflammatory phase, withdrawal reflex latencies were shortened, and sensory nerve conduction velocities (SCV) and motor nerve conduction velocities (MCV) gradually decreased. In the nerve-sprouting phase, the latency values remained low, and SCV and MCV were minimal. The parameters examined gradually returned to control levels during the recovery phase. In conclusion, these findings increase the knowledge of disease progression in mononeuropathy with hyperalgesia in human and animal models.