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The value of an operating microscope in peripheral nerve repair

1998; Springer Science+Business Media; Volume: 22; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/s002640050219

1432-5195

Marin Stančić, Vladimir Mičović, M. Potočnjak, Pero Draganić, Antun Sasso, Susan E. Mackinnon,

Nerve Injury and Rehabilitation

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the use of an operating microscope improves the results of peripheral nerve repair. Tibial nerve grafting was carried out on 48 Fischer rats divided into 2 groups: in one, a loupe was used, and in the other a surgical microscope. At 5 months after grafting, recovery was evaluated by functional, electromyographic, and morphometric tests. The mean motor nerve conduction velocity was 26.77 +/- 9.37 m/sec in the group where the loupe was used compared with 44.19 +/- 11.36 m/s when the microscope group was used. The soleus muscle weight and the diameter of myelinated fibres also confirmed better regeneration in the microscope group. These results clearly indicate that it is essential to use the microscope for peripheral nerve repair.