Hand function recovery using nerve segment insert grafting in patients with chronic incomplete lower cervical spinal cord injury: a preliminary clinical report

Objective:The objective of this study was to show that hand functions could be recovered using nerve segment insert grafting in quadriplegic patients with chronic incomplete lower cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) (C5/6/7/8).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed in 18 quadriplegic patients (12 male and 6 female patients; mean age, 27 years; age range, 17–55 years) with chronic incomplete lower CSCI who had undergone nerve segment insert grafting from January 2001 to June 2015. Among the 18 patients, the right upper limb was involved in 7, left upper limb in 4, and bilateral upper limbs in 7 patients.Results:The mean follow-up period was 16 months (range, 3 months–3 years), and all patients exhibited obvious relief of limb spasm. Among all patients, 15 patients experienced no obvious spasm attacks and exhibited recovery of living abilities, i.e., recovery of the hand functions of grasping, holding, and pinching, and recovery of pain and temperature sensation in the fingers and palms; furthermore, they were able to steer an ordinary wheelchair independently postoperatively. The remaining three patients exhibited a significant and continuous improvement in hand functions over time, without any significant donor nerve dysfunction.Conclusions:Nerve segment insert grafting is an effective method that helps recover hand functions in quadriplegic patients with chronic incomplete lower CSCI. Moreover, spasticity can be relieved and partial normal innervation can be obtained in the spastic muscles postoperatively.

The Natural History of Facial Schwannomas: A Meta-Analysis of Case Series

Objective This study is to establish predictors of facial paralysis and auditory morbidity secondary to facial schwannomas by assimilating individualized patient data from the literature. Design A systematic review of the literature was conducted for studies regarding facial schwannomas. Studies were only included if they presented patient level data, House–Brackmann grades, and tumor location by facial nerve segment. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using generalized linear mixed models. Main Outcome Measures Facial weakness and hearing loss. Results Data from 504 patients were collected from 32 studies. The geniculate ganglion was the most common facial nerve segment involved (39.3%). A greater number of facial nerve segments involved was positively associated with both facial weakness and hearing loss, whereas tumor diameter did not correlate with either morbidity. Intratemporal involvement was associated with higher odds of facial weakness (OR = 4.78, p < 0.001), intradural involvement was negatively associated with facial weakness (OR = 0.56, p = 0.004), and extratemporal involvement was not a predictor of facial weakness (OR = 0.68, p = 0.27). The odds of hearing loss increased with more proximal location of the tumor (intradural: OR = 3.26, p < 0.001; intratemporal: OR = 0.60, p = 0.14; extratemporal: OR = 0.27, p = 0.01). Conclusion The most important factors associated with facial weakness and hearing loss are tumor location and the number of facial nerve segments involved. An understanding of the factors that contribute most heavily to the natural morbidity can help guide the appropriate timing and type of intervention in future cases of facial schwannoma.

Anatomic Nuances of the Ophthalmic Artery Origin from a Ventral Viewpoint: Considerations and Implications for Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery

BACKGROUND The origin of the ophthalmic artery is within the surgical field of endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) to the suprasellar and parasellar regions. However, its anatomy from the endoscopic point-of-view has not been adequately elucidated. OBJECTIVE To highlight the anatomy of the ophthalmic artery origin from an endoscopic endonasal perspective. METHODS The origin of the ophthalmic artery was studied bilaterally under endoscopic visualization, after performing transplanum/transtubercular EEAs in 17 cadaveric specimens (34 arteries). Anatomic relationships relevant to surgery were evaluated. To complement the cadaveric findings, the ophthalmic artery origin was reviewed in 200 “normal” angiographic studies. RESULTS On the right side, 70.6% of ophthalmic arteries emerged from the superior aspect, while 17.6% and 11.8% emerged from the superomedial and superolateral aspects of the intradural internal carotid artery, respectively. On the left, 76.5%, 17.6%, and 5.9% of ophthalmic arteries emerged from the superior, superomedial, and superolateral aspects of the internal carotid, respectively. Similar findings were observed on angiography. All ophthalmic arteries emerged at the level of the medial opticocarotid recess. Overall, 47%, 26.5%, and 26.5% of ophthalmic arteries (right and left) were inferolateral, inferior, and inferomedial to the intracranial optic nerve segment, respectively. On both sides, the intracranial length of the ophthalmic artery ranged from 1.5 to 4.5 mm (mean: 2.90 ± standard deviation of 0.74 mm). CONCLUSION Awareness of the endoscopic nuances of the ophthalmic artery origin is paramount to minimize the risk of sight-threatening neurovascular injury during EEAs to the suprasellar and parasellar regions.

Using Nerve Segment Insert Grafting to Reconstruct Neural Pathways of Brain-Derived Paralysis

Since 1992, task groups have used free nerve auto grafts to bridge partially transected nerves from the dominant area of the normal cerebral cortex to nerves that innervate spastic muscles from a diseased cerebral cortex, using transplanting sutures to alleviate the muscle spasm of cerebral palsy caused by different diseases. This has facilitated rebuilding of some of its neurological function. In this study, 80 such patients were followed up, including 20 patients with traumatic brain injury, 32 patients with stroke, and 28 pediatric patients with cerebral palsy. After postoperative follow-up of 3 to 21 years, the efficacy rate of this operation was 100% and the excellent and good spasm relief rate was 82.5%.

Effect of auto-transplantation of bone marrow on the nerve autography in the dogs

The research was conducted to study the repair of transected sciatic nerve through by grafting sciatic nerve with nerve segment and addition of bone marrow in dogs. Twelve adult dogs from both sexes was used. They was divided into two groups, six animals in each group. The left sciatic nerve was used as a model in this research for monitoring the process of nerve repair. In group one, the sciatic nerve was transected and a piece of nerve about 1cm in length was removed, and the resultant gap was repaired by autotransplantation with a segment of nerve harvested from the median nerve of the forelimb with the consideration that the harvested median nerve segment was slightly longer than the resected sciatic nerve segment. The implanted nerve segment was sutured with sciatic nerve using non absorbable suture (nylon 5\0). In group two, the same surgical procedure was performed as in group one, but a bone marrow that aspirated from the same animal was applied on the nerve transplantation. The assessment of sciatic nerve repair was accomplished by studying the clinical observation of normal physiological function of the operated limb, additionally studying the histological changes on the nerve graft transplantation at 30 and 45 postoperative days. The study was revealed, the application of bone marrow on the nerve graft segment was enhanced the degree of healing of transected sciatic nerve that indicated by improvement the functional use of affect hind limb clinically, with improvement the vasculrization of nerve graft segment and increase proliferation of nerve cells (Schwann and microglial cells) with extension of collagen fibers that aid to bridge the sciatic nerve with grafted nerve segment histologicaly rather than in group one.In conclusion the addition of bone marrow on the nerve graft segment accelerate the degree of healing of transected sciatic nerve with improve the functional use of operated limb.

Punched Nerve Syndrome: Ultrasonographic Appearance of Functional Vascular Nerve Impairment

Purpose: The mechanical impact of a neighboring vessel on a “punched” nerve segment is thought to be one possible cause of compression neuropathy but has not been proven definitively. We report on 9 subjects with unclear clinical mononeuropathies in whom we could clearly define peripheral nerve impairment by such vessels on real-time high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS). Materials and Methods: Nine subjects with unclear mononeuropathy based on clinical neurological examination were referred to our department for HRUS assessment. The shape, inner and outer echotexture, size and diameter, and overall integrity of these nerves were assessed including an exact analysis of the surrounding soft tissues to search for potentially extraneural pathology. This included duplex imaging to identify even tiny atypical vascular structures. Results: In all patients duplex HRUS showed the pulsatile and “punching” character of the relevant vessels and the direct mechanical impact of these vessel. The involved nerve segments appeared enlarged with a hypoechoic change of echotexture including at least partial masking of their inner fascicular texture. Conclusion: Although rare, a “punching” vessel can be the cause of a compression neuropathy. Therefore, duplex HRUS must be included in every HRUS examination of patients with otherwise unclear mononeuropathy.