Increased angiogenesis by the rotational muscle flap is crucial for nerve regeneration

The gold standard surgical treatment of nerve injury includes direct repair, nerve graft, and neurolysis. The underlying effects (either beneficial or detrimental) of angiogenesis during nerve regeneration by rotational muscle flap have not yet determined. We assess the neurological outcome and angiogenesis of nerve injury following a rotational muscle flap.

We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of the patients with severe radial nerve injury by neurolysis and rotational muscle flap; we also mimicked the clinical situation by nerve crush followed by rotational muscle flap in animals to assess associated angiogenesis factor expression.

Twenty-three out of 25 (92%) cases of severe radial nerve injury underwent neurolysis assisted by muscle flap rotation and eventually reached their preinjury neurological outcome. In the animal study, both FITC-dextran and Dil infusion showed a remarkably increased vascular structure in the crushed nerve integrated by the muscle flap and abolished by Avastin injection. The rotational muscle flap significantly increased angiogenesis factor expression, and this was attenuated by Avastin injection. The increased angiogenesis factor expression paralleled the improvement seen in neurobehavioral and electrophysiological studies as well as the significant expression of nerve regeneration markers and the restoration of denervated muscle morphology.

Based on the clinical and animal data analysis, we conclude that muscle flap rotation provides a platform for angiogenesis in the acceleration of nerve regeneration. It appears that the muscle flap rotation augmented the nerve regeneration process which may be beneficial for nerve repair in clinical application.