Morphologic observation of the regenerated nerve in reconstructed penis with sensory nerve implantation in rabbit / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism of sensory nerve regeneration of the reconstructed penis with sensory nerve implantation and to explore a new surgical technique to improve the postoperative sensory function in phallic reconstruction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into experimental group (n = 20, with sensory nerve implantation) and control group (n = 20, without sensory nerve implantation), which were both performed phalloplasty with a superficial epigastric faciovascular pedicle flap. Postoperatively, the nerve regeneration process of the reconstructed penis was observed histologically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In experimental group, the amount of CGRP positive nerve fibers increased markedly with the time prolonged, whereas merely a few CGRP positive fibers scattered in deep dermis 6 months later in the other group. The cutaneous sensory nerve regeneration of the reconstructed penis in experimental group shows the procedure that the myelinated axon began to exist within 3 months, thereafter the myelinated axon and unmyelinated axon were both observed under the electron microscope.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These findings show that the rabbit model of phalloplasty with sensory nerve implantation can acquire well sensory reinnervation, and bring a light to clinical application for restoration of sensory function in reconstructed penis.</p>

A long-term study of regeneration of mechanical sensory fibers after free nerve transplantation to the rabbit reconstructed penis / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the regeneration of mechanical sensory fibers after free nerve transplantation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Neuroelectrophysiological technique (single nerve fiber recording) was used to test the regeneration rate of mechanical sensory fibers, the proportion of rapidly and slowly adapting receptors, the stimulating thresholds of regenerated mechanoreceptors and conduction velocity of regenerated fibers. The regeneration pattern of the mechanoreceptors after free nerve transplantation to the rabbit reconstructed penis was also analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>9 months after operation, the number of regenerated mechanical sensory fiber was almost normal. The regenerated rapidly adapting receptors had a higher proportion with higher mature degree than the regenerated slowly adapting receptors. 9 months after nerve transplantation the stimulating thresholds of regenerated mechanoreceptors and conduction velocity of regenerated fibers remained below normal.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>After free nerve transplantation to the rabbit reconstructed penis, the function of both rapidly and slowly adapting sensory nerve fiber partially recovered, but in different extent.</p>

Location of somatic sensory neurons of the skin and dorsal nerve of the penis in rabbits / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To trace the segmental distribution of somatic sensory neurons of the skin and dorsal nerve in the rabbitś penis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The experiment was performed on 8 adult male rabbits with the nerve tracing method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), which was injected into the dermis around the penis and the dorsal nerve of the penis. The rabbits were sacrificed five days later to harvest the spinal cord segments and the dorsal root ganglia of lumbosacral segments for histological study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The HRP tracing showed that a number of labeled HRP positive neurons appeared in spinal ganglia (S2 - S4) in all the rabbits, and distributed segmentally. The counts of the positive neurons different segments were: S2 (215.0 +/- 10.2) , S3 (242.2 +/- 8.3) and S4 (109.7 +/- 8.4) respectively, with statistically significant difference between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The rabbit's sensory nerve fibers in both the skin and the dorsal nerve of the penis are rooted in the S2-S4 segments of spinal ganglia, which distribute regularly.</p>

Electrophysiology research on the spinal nerve source of rabbit penis cutaneous sensation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explicate the spinal nerve source of the rabbit penis cutaneous sensation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve adult male rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of equal number. While mechanical stimuli were given to the penis by different von Frey hairs, single fiber activities were recorded in vivo in the left (Group A) and right (Group B) S1-S4 spinal nerves, respectively. The mechanical threshold, adaptability and conduction velocity of the fibers were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When the ipsilateral penis was mechanically stimulated, discharges were detected in S2 and S3 spinal nerve fibers, but not in S1 and S4. The discharge fibers were 39.67 +/- 3.14 (S2) and 21.00 +/- 2.19 (S3) in the left spinal nerve and 40.00 +/- 3.16 (S2) and 19.67 +/- 2.58 (S3) in the right. There was no obvious difference between the numbers of the left spinal nerves and the right ones (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The rabbit penis cutaneous sensation originates from S2 and S3 spinal nerves.</p>

Transfection of agrin gene on the recovery of muscle function after free neurovascular muscle transfer / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of transfection of agrin gene on the recovery of muscle function after a free neurovascular muscle transfer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The electrical gene transfection was performed when the gracilis muscle of the SD rat was completed free neurovascular transfer. The experimental group was treated with pCS2+ -agrin, the group with plasmid pCS2+ as the negative control and the group with normal saline as the frank control. The muscle function, expression of neural agrin and the junctional nAChR number was measured after the operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At 4, 5 and 10 weeks postoperatively, the pCS2+ -agrin group was significantly better than the control groups in muscle function (P < 0.05 ). The immunohistochemical staining showed an increasing deposition of the agrin protein near the endplate at 1 and 5 weeks after the operation, but decreasing remarkably to the level of control groups at 10 weeks postoperatively. The pCS2+ -agrin group was significantly more than the control groups in junctional nAChR number at every points of the time postoperatively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Transfection of agrin gene in the transferred muscle may increase the early recovery of muscle function.</p>

Changes of acetylcholine receptor distribution at the motor end-plates following muscle transfer / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) distribution at the neuromuscular junction (i.e. motor end-plate) following the free neurovascular muscle transfer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>AChR in the gracilis muscle of the Wistar rat following free neurovascular transfer were labeled by fluorescent alpha-bungarotoxin and radioiodinated alpha-bungarotoxin. Then confocal microscope and gamma-counting were estimated to ACHR, qualitatively and quantitatively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The junctional AChR numbers decreased to a minimum at the fourth week postoperatively, whereas the extrajunctional receptor numbers increased. From the fifth week postoperatively, the number of junctional AChR's increased. Even at 30 weeks after transfer, the morphology of the neuromuscular junction failed to return to the preoperative style. The number of acetylcholine receptors at the reinnervated neuromuscular junction also remained lower than the control.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The persistent weakness following free neurovascular muscle transfer may be attributed to these qualitative and quantitative changes at the neuromuscular junction.</p>

One-stage reconstruction of postburn whole auricle defect with MEDPOR ear scaffold covered with superficial temporoparietal fascia flap / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect and the key points in the operative procedure of the one-stage reconstruction of postburn whole auricle defect with medpor car scaffold covered with superficial temporoparietal fascia (TPF) flap.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Medpor car scaffold was embedded under the superficial temporal (TFP) fascia. Razor-thin skin was grafted onto the surface of the fascia flap.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifteen patients with postburn whole auricle defect were treated by one-stage reconstruction with Medpor ear scaffold during the last four years. It was successful in all the patients with satisfactory appearance of the reconstructed ears.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Medpor possessed friendly biological compatibility. The reconstruction gave satisfactory results, and its advantages consisted of short operational time, easy manipulation, less injury to patients and good auricular contour.</p>