Outcome of Finger Extension After Nerve Transfer to Repair C7-T1 Brachial Plexus Palsy in Rats: Comparative Study of the Supinator Motor Branch Transfer to the Posterior Interosseous Nerve and the Contralateral C7 Transfer to the Lower Trunk. Issue 4 (16th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Chun-Lin; Dong, Zhen; Gu, Yu-Dong
• Is Part Of: Neurosurgery. Volume 80:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 627
• Page End: 634
• Publication Date: 2017-03-16
• Subjects: Brachialplexus -- Nerve transfer -- Palsy -- Rats; Nervous system -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 617.48005
• DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyw160
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0148-396X

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Functional recovery following supinator motor branch transfer requires further investigation. OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of finger extension after supinator motor branch transfer or contralateral C7 (cC7) transfer in C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies in rats. METHODS: In this study, 120 adult rats underwent C7-T1 nerve root avulsion and received different nerve transfer repairs: group A, cC7 nerve transfer to the lower trunk; group B, supinator motor branch nerve transfer to the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN); and group C, no repair. The ethology of the rats, latency and amplitude of the compound muscle action potential from the PIN, muscle mass and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the extensor digitorum communis and extensor carpi ulnaris, and number of myelinated nerve fibers in the PIN were examined postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no finger extension in group C. We observed finger extension in groups A and B 50.2 ± 5.66 and 13.1 ± 2.08 days postoperatively, respectively. Finger extension restoration in group B was greater than that in group A at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively ( P < .05). Sixteen weeks after surgery, the recovery rate of the myelinated nerve fibers in group A was marginally higher than that in group B, but the difference was not significant. Of the other measured values, group B showed a greater and significant improvement compared to group A ( P < .05). CONCLUSION: Supinator motor branch transfer allows for faster recovery and is a more effective procedure for restoring finger extension in C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies.