Neurolized nerve padding in actinic lesions: omentum versus muscle use. An experimental study.

Free microvascular greater omentum flap to pad brachial plexus after neurolysis for actinic lesions is a major operation. Thus several authors have suggested a simple padding by means of traditional muscle flaps. As contouring the brachial plexus elements is difficult using muscle, we wished to evaluate the formation of perineural fibrosis with either omentum or muscle, following neurolysis. An experimental model in rats was set up, dividing the two femoral nerves and wrapping one of them with the greater omentum and the other with abdominal muscles. The degree of perineural fibrosis at light microscopy observation was fivefold greater when muscle, rather than omentum, was used.