The effect of pulsed radiofrequency application on nerve healing after sciatic nerve anastomosis in rats

ABSTRACT

The Effect of Pulsed Radiofrequency Application on Nerve Healing After Sciatic Nerve Anastomosis in Rats. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the histomorphological and functional effect of Pulsed Radiofrequency (PRF) application on regeneration after experimental nerve damage in rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats were used in the study. Sciatic nerve incision was applied to all rats and then anastomosis was performed. Twenty rats were separated as the control group, and the remaining 20 rats underwent PRF every day at 42oC, for 120 seconds. The groups were divided into two further subgroups to be sacrificed on the 15th and 30th days. Tissue samples were obtained from all groups at 24 hours and 72 hours after the injury. Sections of sciatic nerve samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for light microscopic investigation and prepared for evaluation of ultrastructural changes with transmission electron microscopy. In the evaluation of axon numbers and diameters were seen that the 30th-day RF group had an increase compared to the control group. In the electron microscopic examination, it was observed that myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fiber sheaths had borders that are more regular in the RF group, the nucleus structures of schwann cells were better preserved, mitochondrial damage was less, and the extensions of fibroblast and collagen fibers were smoother than the control group. The findings suggested that PRF application has a positive contribution histologically on nerve healing in the early period after full-layer incision nerve injury anastomosis surgery.

KEYWORDS:

• Pulsed radiofrequency
• peripheral nerve damage
• nerve regeneration
• ultrastructure

Acknowledgments

We would like to Erciyes University Scientific Research Projects Unit.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

All procedures were carried out per the International Universal Declaration of Animal Rights and after the approval of the Erciyes University Experimental Animal Ethics Committee (Date: 08.07.2015, No: 15/88).

Author contributions

Concept – R.A.; Design - R.A., İ.K., S.P.,A.H.Y; Supervision – R.A., Ö.Ö.G.; Materials – U.Ö.B., G.O.O, A.H.Y., Ö.G; Data Collection &/or Processing - S.T.; U.Ö.B, A.E.G., Analysis&/or Interpretation – R.A., U.Ö.B, G.O.O, L.S., A.H.Y., Ö.Ö.G.; Literature Search – R.A.,U.Ö.B.; Writing – R.A., Ö.Ö.G.; Critical Reviews – R.A., Ö.Ö.G.

This study was presented as a oral presentation in TARK 07-11 November 2018, Antalya, Turkey, National Anesthesia Congress.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Erciyes University Scientific Research Projects Unit R&D Projects Support program [Project Number: TTU-2017-7181].Electron microscopic examination of the prepared preparations was done in the Research Laboratory of the Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, and the light microscopic examinations were conducted in the Erciyes University Faculty.