Utilizing a sciatic nerve-transection model in rats, we studied the
collagen content of normal control nerves, the long-term collagen
accummulation in the distal stump of the transected nerve, the content of
collagen of the posterior tibial nerve distal to the transection, and the
myofibrosis of the gastrocnemius muscle. The distal stump of the sciatic
nerve accumulated significant amounts of collagen with time but the
posterior tibial nerve at a distance from the site of transection showed no
progressive collagen accumulation. The histologically evident myofibrosis
of the denervated gastrocnemius muscle was shown to be the result of a
selective loss of muscle elements and not of an accumulation of collagen.
cis-Hydroxyproline, a proline analogue, limited neuroma formation following
neurorrhaphy. The findings suggest that the results of delayed repair of
nerves should not be impaired by intraneural scarring if enough of the
transected nerve beyond the point of intraneural scar formation is
resected.