Effects of repeated crush injuries on motor functional recovery of thesciatic nerve

本研究旨在探讨反复挤压损伤对周围神经运动功能恢复是否有显著影响。每隔1周对成年大鼠进行坐骨神经重复挤压损伤，通过SSI、胫骨前肌纤维大小及其纤维再神经支配评价坐骨神经功能。与单次挤压伤在伤后第4周完全恢复相比，双次挤压伤在伤后第6周完全恢复，而三次挤压伤在实验期间第8周再生过程明显迟缓，恢复不完全。三次挤压大鼠的肌纤维大小在损伤后第4周没有恢复到正常范围，而单次挤压大鼠的肌纤维大小正常。这些结果表明，反复挤压损伤抑制了受损坐骨神经运动功能的恢复，表现为再生延迟和不完全，肌肉纤维萎缩，神经再生延迟。

The present study was conducted to examine whether repeated crush injuries have significant effects on motor functional recovery of peripheral nerves.Repeated crush injuries of the sciatic nerve were inflicted on adult rats at 1 -week intervals, and functionality of the sciatic nerve was assessed by the SSI, tibiali s anterior muscle fibers size,and its fiber reinnervation. Compared to single crush injuries, which completely recovered by post-injury week 4, double crush injuries resulted in retarded, but complete recovery by post-injury week 6, whereas triple crush injuries resulted in marked retardation in the regenerative process with incomplete recovery during week 8 of the experimental period. Muscle fiber size for rats with triple crush did not recover to normal range at post-injury week 4, despite its normal size for rats with single crush. These results indicate that repeated crush injuries inhibit motor functional recovery of the damaged sciatic nerve, as evidenced by delayed and incomplete regeneration, atrophied muscle fibers, and delayed reinnervation.