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  2. Treatment of the chronic inflammation in peripheral target tissue improves the crushed nerve recovery in the rat: histopathological assessment of the nerve recovery

Treatment of the chronic inflammation in peripheral target tissue improves the crushed nerve recovery in the rat: histopathological assessment of the nerve recovery

  • J Neurol Sci. 2002 Oct 15;202(1-2):69-74. doi: 10.1016/s0022-510x(02)00209-5.
Naoki Kato 1 Koichi Nemoto Hiroshi Arino Kyosuke Fujikawa
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Sitama, 359-8513 Japan. grd1505@gr.ndmc.ac.jp
Abstract

An experimental study was performed to investigate the influence of subsidence of chronic inflammation in peripheral target tissue on the recovery of crushed nerve. Seventy-eight male Wistar rats weighing 300-370 g were used. The sciatic nerve was operatively crushed unilaterally with an aneurysm clip (250 gf) applied for 5 min. Chronic inflammation, localized to the ankle, was induced by intra-articular injection of complete Freund's Adjuvant 1 week preoperatively. Prednisolone farnesylate (PNF-21) 1.4% gel was applied on the ankle as an anti-inflammatory agent for consecutive days after the operation. The Animals were divided into five groups as follows: crush injury with ipsilateral arthritis (CIA); crush injury with ipsilateral arthritis and PNF-21 gel applied on the ipsilateral ankle (CIA + IPNF); crush injury with ipsilateral arthritis and PNF-21 gel applied on the contralateral ankle (CIA + CPNF); crush injury with contralateral arthritis (CCA); crush injury without arthritis (C). Specimens for histopathological examination were taken from the nerve at a site 5 mm distal to the crush lesion at 4 weeks postoperatively. The average axon diameter was significantly larger in the CIA + IPNF group than in the CIA group (p < 0.01). No significant difference was observed between the CIA + CPNF group and the CIA group. In conclusion, chronic inflammation in peripheral target tissue suppresses recovery of the crushed nerve, and subsidence of this chronic inflammation improves this suppression histopathologically.

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