ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effect of using different tibial nerve proximal muscle branchs to repair deep peroneal nerve injury in animal experiment, and to screen out the most optimal donor nerve branch. Methods From June, 2016 to August, 2016, 64 adult female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, which were LHG (using lateral head of gastrocnemius to repair peroneal nerve), MHG(using medial head of gastrocnemius to repair peroneal nerve), SNB (using soleus nerve branch to repair peroneal nerve), and blank. There were16 rats in each group. At 4 and 8 weeks after surgery, each group were tested on behavior, electrophysiology, muscle tension, muscle wet weight and histology, to evaluate function recovery of the muscles controlled by deep peroneal nerve in each group, and to compare recovery of the deep peroneal nerve repaired by different tibial nerve branches. Results Eight weeks after surgery,right foot of the rats in LHG,MHG and SNB group can be extended,toes can be completely opened. Rats in blank group showed limping gait, whose right foot can not be extended, right toe can not be opened, and muscle atrophied. At 4 and 8 weeks after the operation, the recovery rate of LHG, MHG, SNB group (at 4th weeks, 33.60 ±2.22)%, 33.07 ±2.38% and 35.91 ±2.02%; at 8th weeks, 67.16 ±5.74)%, 66.56 ±3.18% and 73.17 ± 5.33%, respectively)was higher than blank group(7.71±1.05% and 7.84±0.78%, respectively)on CMAP amplitude, tibialis anterior muscle contractility, tibialis anterior muscle cell area, muscle cell area. SNB group was superior to the LHG group and LHG group.And the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion All the proxi-mal tibial nerve muscle branchs can be used to repair the deep peroneal nerve injury, and the soleus nerve branch is the preferred donor nerve.