Microsurgery
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Comparative Study
Improvement of the skin flap survival with the bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells transplantation in a rat model.
Partial necrosis of skin flaps remains a significant problem in plastic and reconstructive surgery. In this study we attempted to evaluate the effect of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) transplantation on improvement of skin flap survival in a rat random pattern skin flap model. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into three groups with each consisting of 10 rats. ⋯ Higher levels of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) were found in the BM-MNCs transplantation group (P < 0.05). The findings from this study demonstrated that preoperative treatment with BM-MNCs transplantation could promote neovascularization and improve flap survival. These effects of BM-MNCs on flap survival were comparable with ADSCs transplantation, but without necessity of in vitro cells expansion.
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Comparative Study
Reorganization in motor cortex after brachial plexus avulsion injury and repair with the contralateral C7 root transfer in rats.
The purpose of our study was to establish the profile of cortical reorganization in whole BPAI on rats and evaluate changes of cortical reorganization after repair of the median nerve with the contralateral C7 root transfer. Forty adult SD rats underwent whole roots avulsion of left brachial plexus, among them 20 received contralateral C7 root transfer to the injured median nerve. Intracortical microstimulation was performed in primary motor cortex (M1) at intervals of 3, 5, 7, and 10 months, postoperatively. ⋯ The left forelimb representation area was detected only in right motor cortex at 10th month, postoperatively. In conclusions, after the contralateral C7 root transfer for repair of the median nerve in BPAI, the cortical reorganization occurred in a time-dependent reorganization. The findings from this study demonstrate that brain involves in the functional recovery after BPAI and repair with nerve transfer and suggest that efforts to improve the results from nerve repair should address the peripheral nerve as well as the brain.