End-to-side nerve grafts: experimental study in rats.

The effectiveness of the end-to-side nerve graft in comparison with the end-to-end cable-graft was determined in rat sciatic nerve transection models. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups with different reconstructive methods for two branches of the sciatic nerve: Group I, median nerve graft with end-to-side neurorrhaphy; Group II, median and ulnar nerve grafts with end-to-end neurorrhaphy; Group III, no repair; and Group IV, sham operation. Between Groups I and II, there were no significant differences in the functional, electrophysiologic, and histologic evaluations. In retrograde tracing of the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia, the number of double-labeled neurons was significantly higher in Group I. End-to-side nerve grafts show good functional recovery, require less graft, and are easy to perform. The authors find this method to be an effective alternative in facial nerve reconstruction and of great value in various kinds of peripheral nerve surgery.