OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of regenerated fibers and functional recovery after mastoid segment of facial nerve was repaired with either end-to-end anastomosis or autogenous great auricular nerve grafting. METHOD: Thirty healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: one was end-to-end anastomosis group and another was autogenous great auricular nerve grafting group. Only mastoid segment of right facial nerve of each animal was dissected and the contralateral nerve was as a control. Electromyogram (EMG) were recorded from 5 animals of each group at the 30th d, 90th d and 120th d after operation. After that the nerves were extracted, fixed, decalcified and embedded in paraffin. Samples was sectioned serially at 6 microm and stained with special trichrome stain. All the imagines were imported into Mimics software to reconstruct the 3-D model. RESULT: The significant differences were found in the regenerate fibers on 30 th d,and were found in amplitude of EMG on 30 th d and 90 th d. The image of 3-D reconstruction showed that the myelin sheath were thickening, connected from proximal to the distal gradually after repair. CONCLUSION: The 3-D reconstruction of regenerated nerve fibers partly conformed to the functional recovery after facial nerve trunk was repaired. The functional recovery of facial nerve was related with both the quantity and the quality of regenerated nerve fibers.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of regenerated fibers and functional recovery after mastoid segment of facial nerve was repaired with either end-to-end anastomosis or autogenous great auricular nerve grafting. METHOD: Thirty healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: one was end-to-end anastomosis group and another was autogenous great auricular nerve grafting group. Only mastoid segment of right facial nerve of each animal was dissected and the contralateral nerve was as a control. Electromyogram (EMG) were recorded from 5 animals of each group at the 30th d, 90th d and 120th d after operation. After that the nerves were extracted, fixed, decalcified and embedded in paraffin. Samples was sectioned serially at 6 microm and stained with special trichrome stain. All the imagines were imported into Mimics software to reconstruct the 3-D model. RESULT: The significant differences were found in the regenerate fibers on 30 th d,and were found in amplitude of EMG on 30 th d and 90 th d. The image of 3-D reconstruction showed that the myelin sheath were thickening, connected from proximal to the distal gradually after repair. CONCLUSION: The 3-D reconstruction of regenerated nerve fibers partly conformed to the functional recovery after facial nerve trunk was repaired. The functional recovery of facial nerve was related with both the quantity and the quality of regenerated nerve fibers.