Intraosseous Repair of the Inferior Alveolar Nerve in Rats: An Experimental Model

ABSTRACT

A reliable method of exposure of the inferior alveolar nerve in Wistar rats has been developed, to allow intraosseous repair with two microsurgical techniques under halothane inhalational anaesthesia. The microsuturing technique involves anastomosis with 10-0 nylon sutures; a laser-weld technique uses an albumin-based solder containing indocyanine green, plus an infrared (810 nm wavelength) diode laser. Seven animals had left inferior alveolar nerve repairs performed with the microsuture and laser-weld techniques. Controls were provided by unoperated nerves in the repaired cases. Histochemical analysis was performed utilizing neuron counts and horseradish peroxidase tracer (HRP) uptake in the mandibular division of the trigeminal ganglion, following sacrifice and staining of frozen sections with cresyl violet and diaminobenzidene. The results of this analysis showed similar mean neuron counts and mean HRP uptake by neurons for the unoperated controls and both microsuture and laser-weld groups. This new technique of intraosseous exposure of the inferior alveolar nerve in rats is described. It allows reliable and reproducible microsurgical repairs using both microsuture and laser-weld techniques.