Preliminary Study on Accessory Nerve Transfer for Reanimating the Diaphragm in Rats with High Cervical Spinal Cord Transversal Injury

Objective:To explore the effect of accessory nerve transfer to phrenic nerve for reanimating the diaphragm in rats with high cervical spine transversal injury.Method:One hundred rats were divided into A and B groups.Expose and transected bilateral phrenic nerve at C 6 level by the cervical anterior approach.The phrenic nerve of A group rats were directly anastomosed.The accessory nerve of B group rats are exposed,transected and transfered to phrenic nerve when its stern joined into trapezius.After observed the diaphragm action the cervical spinal cord was transversal transected at C 3?4level.Record the diaphragm's translation again then compared the motor function reinstatement between A and B groups before operation and after operation 5 min,1,2,4,6,8 months.Result:Before high cervical cord injury no statistical significant differences were found about diaphragm motion recovery.After high cervical spinal cord was injured there were significant differences comparing the accessory nerve to phrenic nerve transfer for reinstatement of diaphragm's motor function with phrenic nerve direct anastomosed.Conclusion:The accessory nerve transfer to phrenic nerve is an effective means of reanimating the diaphragm in rats with high cervical spinal cord transversal injury.