Sensory reinnervation and sensibility after superficial skin wounds in human patients.

In humans the innervation and sensibility after a superficial skin wound, the donor site for medium split thickness skin grafts, was investigated using sensibility tests and indirect immunohistochemistry with antibodies to neurofilament. After one to two weeks extensive sprouting of neurofilament immunoreactive nerve fibers was observed. Four weeks after the operation the wound had healed and the sensibility and distribution of neurofilament-positive nerve fibers resembled that of normal unoperated skin. These findings are discussed in view of recent studies indicating a role of sensory neurons in inflammation and wound healing.