[Capacity for peripheral nerve regeneration. Experimental study--preliminary results].

Any injury affecting peripheral nerve continuity is followed by a degenerative reaction from nerve itself and its muscule. Nerve regeneration is possibly when the two ends are put in direct contact (direct suture), proximity (autologus or artificial grafts) or through muscle neurotization. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate sciatic nerve degeneration and regeneration in rat after no suture (group 1), direct suture (group 2), nerve grafting (group 3) and muscle neurotization (group 4). Nerve samples were analyzed in optical microscopy at 8 and 16 weeks after surgery and nerve degeneration (group 1), axonal growth (group 2) and neuromuscular regeneration (group 4) were evaluated. Neuromuscular synapses after direct muscular neurotization are to be searched using the cholinesterase test.