A Comparative Study of the Prolonged Effect with Neurectomy & Botox Injection Method on the Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: There was no controlled study on botox injection and neurectomy for treatments of muscle hypertrophy. Although many studies have shown the clinical effects of each treatment, it was not able to evaluate and compare the effects of each treatment because there was no comparison of the two treatments under the same experimental condition. Hence, the aim of this study is to com METHODS: The study was carried out on 21 rabbits. 9 rabbits received botox injection(botox injection group), and neurectomy was performed to another 9 rabbits (neurectomy group). 3 rabbits did not receive any treatment(control group). To compare and analyze the effects of muscular atrophy, muscle was stained with NADH-TR, and the changes in size of the muscle fiber were examined. And the electromyography was examined. In each group, muscle fiber was stained and electromyography was performed 2, 3, and 6 months after injection or operation. RESULTS: In histological test and electromyography, in the neurectomy group, the size of muscular fiber and amplitude of electromyography decreased until 2 months after neurectomy. And decreased results were maintained with the passage of time. It showed irreversible aspect. On the other hand, in the botox injection group, the decrease in the size of muscular fiber and amplitude of electromyography was observed until 2 months after injection. In 3 months after the injection, it was slowly getting back to original size and had almost recovered by 6 months after the injection. It showed reversible aspect. CONCLUSION: This study shows researches about clinical effect of botox injection and neurectomy coincide with the results of experiment under the same experimental condition.