The correlation between calcium intensity and histopathological changes in brachial plexus nerve injuries

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Peripheral nerve injury leads to excessive calcium influx, exceeding homeostatic capacity and causing damage.
• Nerve function recovery after crush injury is linked to the normalization of intracellular calcium levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between histopathological nerve damage and calcium levels.
• To evaluate the utility of a novel fluorescence-based technique for quantifying calcium in nerve tissue.

Main Methods:

• Electrophysiological analysis (compound muscle action potential) was performed on 15 patients with nerve injuries.
• Nerve samples were assessed for calcium levels using relative fluorescence units (RFUs) and stained for myelin and neurofilaments.
• Injuries were classified into three groups based on the Sunderland scale.

Main Results:

• A strong positive correlation (0.81, p < 0.005) was found between histopathological damage and calcium levels.
• Average calcium levels measured by RFU were 5.3 × 10⁻⁷ M, approximately five times the normal physiological concentration.

Conclusions:

• The RFU technique provides rapid pathology results, offering a faster method for diagnosing nerve injury severity.
• This calcium staining approach, currently in clinical trials, has significant potential for clinical application and treatment planning.