Tiam Mana Saffari

99 REVASCULARIZATION PATTERNS OF NERVE ALLOGRAFTS 5 SIEF nerves, however, this was not significant. Schematic visualization of the number of vessels in different parts of the nerve are depicted in Figure 6. Figure 6. Nerve vascularization patterns of nerve groups at 12 and 16 weeks. Micro CT cross-sectional images throughout the length of the nerve grafts were obtained. The length of the nerve was divided into three sections: (I) proximal, (II) mid and (III) distal. The cross-sectional images were divided into three rings: (A) central ring, (B) middle ring, (C) outer ring to count the number of vessels. Nerve tissue was depicted in yellow and the vessels were depicted in red. Tables describe the number of vessels in each of the rings per nerve section (proximal, mid and distal) for control, autograft, allograft and allograft wrapped in a superficial inferior epigastric artery fascia (SIEF) flap. The first row denotes the number of vessels (mean ± SEM) at 12 weeks and the second row at 16 weeks. SEM = Standard error of the mean. At 16 weeks, the proximal section of the nerve showed superiority of the number of vessels in SIEF nerves in all three rings of the cross-sections compared to other groups (P<0.0001 in outer ring, P<0.05 in middle and central ring). In the mid-section of the nerve, the number of vessels in the outer ring was lowest in the allografts and inferior to the SIEF and control nerve samples (P<0.05). In the middle ring, the SIEF group was superior to allograft (P<0.0001) and control nerves (P<0.05) and in the central ring the SIEF group measured the highest number of vessels and was superior to all other groups (P<0.0001). In the distal section of the nerve, no significant differences were found when comparing the groups and different rings (Figure 6). DISCUSSION Revascularization of nerve is postulated to occur from (i) extraneural vascular contribution from surrounding beds (centripetal revascularization) and (ii) longitudinal bidirectional inosculation from the proximal and distal ends of the graft