Comparative Study of Microepineural Suture,Microepineural Suture-Aided CO 2 Laser,and Laser Only Anastomoses in Rat Sciatic Nerves

Abstract

The cut sciatic nerves of 33 rats were anastomosed by three different methods under the operation microscope; microepineural suture technique, CO₂ laser technique, and laser-aided microepineural suture technique. On histologie examination at the end of 3 months postoperatively, in the CO₂ laser and suture-aided CO₂ laser groups, the degrees of inflammation, fibrosis, and Schwann cell vacuolar degeneration were significantly higher than in the microepineural suture anastomosis group. At the end of 3 months sciatic nerve function was absent in 3 of 11 rats anastomosed by only CO₂ laser, however, sciatic nerve functions were found to be normal in the other two groups.