Experiment on Reconstructing the Intrinsis Hand Muscles Function by Transference Anterior Interosseous Nerve

An anterior interosseous nerve wes transferee! to the recurrent branch of the median nerve and deep branch of the ulnar nerve respectively to restore the function of the intrinsic hand muscles. Twelve Rhesus monkeys were used in the experiment with 24 nerves for transfere nce and 24 for direct suturing. Gross, histological, and ultrastructural observations, electrophysiological evaluation and computer-imaging analysis system were employed to assess the nerve regeneration process in 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. the results showed that the rate of maturty and the number of regenerating nerves in the distal segment approached the normal level and the passing rate of the myelinated axons reached to 156,16+14.45% 12 months after operation. According to the histological findings and the recovery of the intrinsic hand muscle function, the reinnervation in the transfered nerves occurred 1 to 3 months earlier than that in the direct sutured ones.