NEURODYNAMIC MOBILIZATION REDUCES INTRANEURAL FIBROSIS AFTER SCIATIC CRUSH LESION IN RATS

Peripheral nerve lesions may be associated with abnormal scarring that lead to regenerative failure and dysfunction. Neurodynamic mobilization (NM) imposes controlled mechanical loads on the peripheral nerve and may influence inflammation and collagen deposition after a lesion. However, there is lack of experimental data to support these claims. Objective: To evaluate the impact of NM in the intraneural number of mast cells, collagen deposition and number of blood vessels after an ischiatic crush lesion in rats. Methods: This is a laboratory animal study, where 20 rats ( Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided into two groups, NM (n=10) and control (n=10), submitted to a right ischiatic nerve lesion. A tensioning NM began 10 days after lesion, and was maintained once a day, six times a week, for three weeks. After this period, the animals were euthanized and the nerves assessed for the number of mast cells, collagen area and number of blood vessels. Results: NM led to a lower number of degranulated mast cells (Kruskal-Wallis=0.29 p<0.05), organization of collagen deposition (Kruskal-Wallis = 0.01, p<0.05 ).  There was no influence of NM on the number of intraneural blood vessels (Kruskal-Wallis=0.46 p<0.05). Conclusion: NM started 10 days after a ischiatic nerve crush lesion modulates the inflammatory process and prevents random deposition of collagen at the lesion site, but has no influence on blood vessels formation.