RESUMO
PURPOSE: To investigate the efficiency of electrical stimulation in the muscle maintenance and nerve regeneration after end-to-side neurorrhaphy (ESN). METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into four experimental groups. Control group (Control), Denervated Group (Denervated); Group with End-to-side neurorrhaphy (ESN); Group with End-to-side neurorrhaphy and electrical stimulation (ESN + ES). We perform electrical stimulation in rats after they had undergone muscle reinnervation by ESN. We collected morphometric and functional data. RESULTS: When comparing the mass of the treated side of cranial tibial muscle (CTM) and that of normal side of CTM, the group ESN + ES (26.12%) exhibited lower mass loss than that of group ESN (37.23%). The peroneal functional index showed that group ESN + ES equaled that of the Control group and showed an evolution of 60.5% while group ESN showed an evolution of 9.5%. In measuring maximum strength of CTM, the group ES + ESN outperformed group ESN. The muscle and nerve morphometry showed superiority of group ES+ESN over ESN group in all parameters. CONCLUSION: Electrical stimulation is an effective means of maintaining functional muscle and nerve regeneration after end-to-side neurorrhaphy.