Clinical application of endoscopic harvesting the sural nerve in the carbon dioxide gas cavity / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To introduce the clinical application and method of endoscopic harvesting the sural nerve in the carbon dioxide gas cavity. Methods 7 cases with peripheral nerve defect were involved, including 5 men and 2 women. The length of nerve defects ranged from 5 to 8 cm, all the nerve defects were repaired by autogenous sural nerve grafting. The sural nerve were removed from 9 calves in 7 cases. Along the course of the sural nerve in the proximal calf, a transverse 1.0 to 1.5 cm incision was done for endoscope approach, another transverse 0.5 to 1.0 cm incision was done lateral to the sural nerve for operation approach. Using abdominoscope system, the sural nerves were cut and removed smoothly in the cavities which were maintained the gas pressure 10 to 15 mm Hg with carbon dioxide insufflation. All the peripheral nerve defects of 7 cases were repaired as cable graft with harvested sural nerve. Results The length of nerve graft harvested from 30 to 42 cm in 9 calves. It took about 30 minutes to harvest the nerve in each side. There was no abvious injuries found by pathologic inspection. No carbonemia and air embolism occurred on patients during operating time, no complications of hypodermic pneumatosis and hematoma occurred on all cases. All patients followed up from 6 to 10 months, the function recovery of the nerves was good. The muscle power was obtained 2 to 4 grade, the sensation was obtained S3 to S4 grade. The function recovered as fast as the traditional operation of sural nerve transfer. Conclusion The method of endoscopic harvesting the sural nerve in the carbon dioxide gas cavity with minimal incision is easy to perform. Compared with the long longitudinal incision and multiple stair-step incision, the method can get less invasive and traumatic, and good aesthetic results. This technique deserves the doctor application in clinical work.