scholarly journals Techniques for Imaging Vascular Supply of Peripheral Nerves

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (01) ◽  
pp. e24-e30
Author(s):  
Alec Giron ◽  
Cameron Cox ◽  
Brendan MacKay
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Potential Application ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Vascular Supply ◽  
Nerve Reconstruction ◽  
Vasa Nervorum ◽  
Arterial Inflow ◽  
Vascular Structures

AbstractFew studies have been developed to map the vascular structures feeding peripheral nerves, with the majority using cadaveric models and inadequate sample sizes. Preliminary evidence, while limited, indicates that the mapping of these vessels may allow or preclude certain procedures in nerve reconstruction due to the location of essential arterial inflow to the vasa nervorum. This review evaluates the evidence regarding historical, current, and emerging techniques for visualizing these vascular structures in vivo and considers their potential application in peripheral nerve vasculature.

Functional Screening and Biosafety Identify of the Potential Application of Let-7a in Injured Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianqian Chen ◽  
Qianyan Liu ◽  
Pan Wang ◽  
Tianmei Qian ◽  
Xinghui Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Potential Application ◽  
Gene Expression Analysis ◽  
Nerve Repair ◽  
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Functional Approach ◽  
Cell Permeability ◽  
Functional Screening ◽  
The Core

Abstract Proper supporting factor can possess the ability to enhance neuron regeneration, for instance, neurotrophic effects especially nerve growth factor (NGF). However, the in vivo applications of NGF are largely limited by its intrinsic disadvantages. Considering that let-7 targets and regulates NGF, and let-7 is also the core and harbor regulators in peripheral nerve repair and regeneration, we evaluated the potential application in clinical. We firstly screened the let-7a as the most ideal let-7 family molecular by gene expression analysis and functional approach. We further evaluated the in vivo safety, the cell permeability of 3 main cells in regeneration micro-environment, and the morphological and functional indicators. Our study provides an essential basis for in vivo application of let-7 and pictured a vision for the clinical translation of miRNA as a prospective alternative for regenerative medicine.

Earthworm Extracts Facilitate PC12 Cell Differentiation and Promote Axonal Sprouting in Peripheral Nerve Injury

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (03) ◽  
pp. 547-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Tsung Chen ◽  
Jaung-Geng Lin ◽  
Tung-Wu Lu ◽  
Fuu-Jen Tsai ◽  
Chih-Yang Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Marked Enhancement ◽  
Growth Promoting ◽  
Success Percentage

The present study provides in vitro and in vivo evaluations of earthworm (Pheretima aspergilum) on peripheral nerve regeneration. In the in vitro study, we found the earthworm (EW) water extracts caused a marked enhancement of the nerve growth factor-mediated neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells as well as the expressions of growth associated protein 43 and synapsin I. In the in vivo study, silicone rubber chambers filled with EW extracts were used to bridge a 10 mm sciatic nerve defect in rats. Eight weeks after implantation, the group receiving EW extracts had a much higher success percentage of regeneration (90%) compared to the control (60%) receiving the saline. In addition, quantitative histology of the successfully regenerated nerves revealed that myelinated axons in EW group at 31.25 μg/ml was significantly more than those in the controls (p < 0.05). These results showed that EW extracts can be a potential growth-promoting factor on regenerating peripheral nerves.

scholarly journals Restoration of motor innervation by the «end-to-side» neurorraphia: experimental modeling and clinical and instrumental control of reinnervation

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33
Author(s):  
Aleksey Yur’evich Nisht ◽  
Nikolay Fedorovich Fomin ◽  
Artur Ilgizjvich Imelbaev ◽  
Anastasia Arturovna Mikulich
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Functional State ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Peroneal Nerve ◽  
Common Peroneal Nerve ◽  
Distal Portion ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
The Common ◽  
Reconstructive Plastic

The high probability of permanent loss of professional fitness and a significant risk of disability of the injured as a result of limb injuries with peripheral nerve damage contribute to both the continuous improvement of surgical techniques on the peripheral nerves, and the implementation of experimental and anatomical studies aimed at developing new ways to restore the lost innervation. Various types of peripheral nerve injuries are observed in peace and wartime victims in 2-6% and 9.8% of cases, respectively. The high degree of disability of patients with the consequences of peripheral nerve injuries requires improvement of diagnostic and reconstructive plastic approaches in this category of patients. A promising method of restoration of the distal part of the crossed nerve with extensive defects of the nerve trunk is its connection with the lateral surface of the intact donor nerve by the end-to-side neurorraphia. The lack of unambiguous views on the nature of reinnervation in this case, even in the presence of single publications on the positive outcomes of such interventions allow us to use this method only in the absence of the possibility of using autonerval transplants to replace extensive defects of peripheral nerves. The purpose of the study: in experiments on laboratory animals to determine the features of modeling trauma of nerve trunks in relation to the development of the main stages of recovery of lost innervation by connecting peripheral nerves by the end-to-side neurorraphia and to determine the range of simple and demonstrative methods of clinical and instrumental control of the functional state of the restored peripheral nerves in a long-term experiment on laboratory animals. Methods. A comprehensive experimental surgical and clinical-instrumental study was performed on 61 laboratory animals (Chinchilla rabbits of both sexes, phenotypically healthy individuals). In the experimental operating room under intravenous anesthesia, modeling of peripheral nerve defect was performed by resection of the total peroneal nerve with a length of 1 cm at the level of the middle third of the thigh. In animals of the studied group (n=39) to restore innervation, the "end-to-side" neurorraphia of the distal portion of the crossed common peroneal nerve with a specially formed defect of the perineural membrane on the lateral surface of the tibial nerve was performed. In the comparison group (n=22) no replacement of the defect of the common peroneal nerve was performed. The follow-up period after experimental interventions ranged from 1 to 290 days. Morphofunctional state of restored nerve trunks was determined by clinical, radiological and electrophysiological methods. Research results. Performing unilateral resections of the common peroneal nerve in laboratory animals (rabbits) with subsequent restoration of the distal portion of the crossed nerve by connecting it by the end-to-side neurorraphia with a nearby intact donor nerve allows to obtain reproducible in the experiment positive results of tissue reinnervation. Indirect assessment of the functional state of the restored nerves is possible using simple and accessible clinical tests, for example, the amplitude of the abduction of the toes of experimental animals in the study of the unconditional reflex of preparation for landing characterizes the conductivity of the common peroneal nerve. When performing experimental studies with multi-stage reconstructive plastic interventions on the peripheral nerves of laboratory animals, the inclusion of radiological methods in the complex of diagnostic measures allows performing in vivo visualization of the surgical intervention area, the restored nerve trunk, as well as the tissues innervated by its branches, which makes it possible to adjust the plan of subsequent morphological studies. Conclusions Performing resection of the common peroneal nerve of laboratory animals (rabbits) at the level of the middle third of the femur as a model of peripheral nerve injury allows to practice the technique of restoration of the distal section of the crossed nerve by connecting it with the adjacent intact donor nerve of the end-to-side neurorraphia. Performing a simple test with the initiation of an unconditional reflex of preparation for landing allows us to qualitatively assess the functional state of the common peroneal nerve in experimental animals. 3. The inclusion of radiological research methods in the program of comprehensive assessment of the peripheral nerves allows to perform their visualization in vivo with the definition of the main morphological characteristics of the restored in experimental reconstructive plastic interventions of nerve trunks.

In Vivo Survival of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell–Enhanced Decellularized Nerve Grafts for Segmental Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 514.e1-514.e11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Rbia ◽  
Liselotte F. Bulstra ◽  
Roman Thaler ◽  
Steven E.R. Hovius ◽  
Andre J. van Wijnen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Mesenchymal Stromal Cell ◽  
Stromal Cell ◽  
Nerve Reconstruction ◽  
Nerve Grafts

High-resolution in vivo imaging of peripheral nerves using optical coherence tomography: a feasibility study

2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 1907-1913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne E. Carolus ◽  
Marcel Lenz ◽  
Martin Hofmann ◽  
Hubert Welp ◽  
Kirsten Schmieder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Coherence Tomography ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Imaging Technique ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Optical Biopsy ◽  
Optical Coherence

OBJECTIVEBecause of their complex topography, long courses, and small diameters, peripheral nerves are challenging structures for radiological diagnostics. However, imaging techniques in the area of peripheral nerve diseases have undergone unexpected development in recent decades. They include MRI and high-resolution sonography (HRS). Yet none of those imaging techniques reaches a resolution comparable to that of histological sections. Fascicles are the smallest discernable structure. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is the first imaging technique that is able to depict a nerve’s ultrastructure at micrometer resolution. In the current study, the authors present an in vivo assessment of human peripheral nerves using OCT.METHODSOCT measurement was performed in 34 patients with different peripheral nerve pathologies, i.e., nerve compression syndromes. The nerves were examined during surgery after their exposure. Only the sural nerve was twice examined ex vivo. The Thorlabs OCT systems Callisto and Ganymede were used. For intraoperative use, a hand probe was covered with a sterile foil. Different postprocessing imaging techniques were applied and evaluated. In order to highlight certain structures, five texture parameters based on gray-level co-occurrence matrices were calculated according to Haralick.RESULTSThe intraoperative use of OCT is easy and intuitive. Image artifacts are mainly caused by motion and the sterile foil. If the artifacts are kept at a low level, the hyporeflecting bundles of nerve fascicles and their inner parts can be displayed. In the Haralick evaluation, the second angular moment is most suitable to depict the connective tissue.CONCLUSIONSOCT is a new imaging technique that has shown promise in peripheral nerve surgery for particular questions. Its resolution exceeds that provided by recent radiological possibilities such as MRI and HRS. Since its field of view is relatively small, faster acquisition times would be highly desirable and have already been demonstrated by other groups. Currently, the method resembles an optical biopsy and can be a supplement to intraoperative sonography, giving high-resolution insight into a suspect area that has been located by sonography in advance.

scholarly journals Noninvasive Stimulation of Peripheral Nerves using Temporally-Interfering Electrical Fields

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Botzanowski ◽  
Mary J Donahue ◽  
Malin Silvera Ejneby ◽  
Alessandro L. Gallina ◽  
Ibrahima Ngom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Sine Wave ◽  
Multielectrode Arrays ◽  
Bioelectronic Medicine ◽  
Nerve Model ◽  
Stimulation Of

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves is a cornerstone of bioelectronic medicine. Effective ways to accomplish peripheral nerve stimulation noninvasively without surgically implanted devices is enabling for fundamental research and clinical translation. Here we demonstrate how relatively high frequency sine-wave carriers (3 kHz) emitted by two pairs of cutaneous electrodes can temporally interfere at deep peripheral nerve targets. The effective stimulation frequency is equal to the offset frequency (0.5 - 4 Hz) between the two carriers. We validate this principle of temporal interference nerve stimulation (TINS) in vivo using the murine sciatic nerve model. Effective actuation is delivered at significantly lower current amplitudes than standard transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Further, we demonstrate how flexible and conformable on-skin multielectrode arrays can facilitate precise alignment of TINS onto a nerve. Our method is simple, relying on repurposing of existing clinically-approved hardware. TINS opens the possibility of precise noninvasive stimulation with depth and efficiency previously impossible with transcutaneous techniques.

Cell-Enhanced Acellular Nerve Allografts for Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of the Literature

Neurosurgery ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 575-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Alice Pedrini ◽  
Filippo Boriani ◽  
Federico Bolognesi ◽  
Nicola Fazio ◽  
Claudio Marchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nerve Reconstruction ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Positive Effects

Abstract BACKGROUND Peripheral nerve reconstruction is a difficult problem to solve. Acellular nerve allografts (ANAs) have been widely tested and are a promising alternative to the autologous gold standard. However, current reconstructive methods still yield unpredictable and unsuccessful results. Consequently, numerous studies have been carried out studying alternatives to plain ANAs, but it is not clear if nerve regeneration potential exists between current biological, chemical, and physical enrichment modes. OBJECTIVE To systematically review the effects of cell-enhanced ANAs on regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries. METHODS PubMed, ScienceDirect, Medline, and Scopus databases were searched for related articles published from 2007 to 2017. Inclusion criteria of selected articles consisted of (1) articles written in English; (2) the topic being cell-enhanced ANAs in peripheral nerve regeneration; (3) an in vivo study design; and (4) postgrafting neuroregenerative assessment of results. Exclusion criteria included all articles that (1) discussed central nervous system ANAs; (2) consisted of xenografts as the main topic; and (3) consisted of case series, case reports or reviews. RESULTS Forty papers were selected, and categorization included the animal model; the enhancing cell types; the decellularization method; and the neuroregenerative test performed. The effects of using diverse cellular enhancements combined with ANAs are discussed and also compared with the other treatments such as autologous nerve graft, and plain ANAs. CONCLUSION ANAs cellular enhancement demonstrated positive effects on recovery of nerve function. Future research should include clinical translation, in order to increase the level of evidence available on peripheral nerve reconstruction.

Exogenous opioids influence the microcirculation of injured peripheral nerves

1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (1) ◽  
pp. H76-H82
Author(s):  
L. Schaafsma ◽  
H. Sun ◽  
D. Zochodne
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Nerve Trunk ◽  
Local Blood Flow ◽  
Vasa Nervorum ◽  
Perfusion Flow ◽  
Sciatic Nerves ◽  
Microelectrode Measurements ◽  
Hydrogen Clearance

Local microvessels of peripheral nerve trunks (vasa nervorum) dilate following capsaicin-induced inflammation or local nerve trunk injury. In previous work, we observed that morphine blocked capsaicin-induced dilation of vasa nervorum presumably through the action of local opioid receptors. In the present work, we studied injury-related hyperemia of the rat sciatic vasa nervorum using laser Doppler and hydrogen clearance microelectrode measurements of local perfusion. Systemic morphine reversed hyperemia by vasoconstricting both extrinsic and intrinsic microvessels supplying 48-h-old “neuroma” preparations or crush zones of peripheral nerve trunks. Morphine did not constrict microvessels of contralateral uninjured or sham exposed but uninjured sciatic nerves. In contrast to the injured nerves, contralateral uninjured nerves exposed to morphine frequently had a rise in local perfusion, indicating vasodilation. The vasoconstrictive actions of morphine were blocked by pretreatment with naloxone and were not mimicked by saline injections alone. Systemic doses of selective opioid agonists to mu-, kappa-, and delta-receptors also selectively constricted microvessels of injured nerves. Local blood flow in older experimental neuromas at 7 days had partial sensitivity to morphine, whereas at 14 days perfusion flow was not influenced by morphine. Exogenous opioids dampen early but not later inflammatory microvasodilation and could have important influences on the nerve regenerative milieu.

A novel technique for decellularization of allogenic nerves and in vivo study of their use for peripheral nerve reconstruction

2017 ◽  
Vol 105 (8) ◽  
pp. 2228-2240 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Boriani ◽  
N. Fazio ◽  
C. Fotia ◽  
L. Savarino ◽  
N. Nicoli Aldini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
In Vivo Study ◽  
Nerve Reconstruction ◽  
Novel Technique

scholarly journals Glial TGFβ activity promotes axon survival in peripheral nerves

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Lassetter ◽  
Megan Corty ◽  
Romina Barria ◽  
Amy Sheehan ◽  
Sue Aicher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Wallerian Degeneration ◽  
Tgfβ Signaling ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
Axon Survival ◽  
Tgfβ Superfamily

Axons can represent the majority of the volume of a neuron and are energetically very demanding. Specialized glia ensheathe axons and are believed to support axon function and maintenance throughout life, but molecular details of glia-neuron support mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here we identify a collection of secreted and transmembrane genes that are required in glia for long-term axon survival in vivo. We show that key components of the TGFβ superfamily are required cell-autonomously in glia for peripheral nerve maintenance, although their loss does not disrupt glial morphology. We observe age-dependent neurodegeneration in the absence of glial TGFβ signaling that can be rescued by genetic blockade of Wallerian degeneration. Our data argue that glial TGFβ signaling normally acts to promote axon survival and suppress neurodegeneration.

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