JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments
Neuroscience
0 views • 2:55 min • August 7th, 2025
Take an anesthetized canine model with an injury in the inferior alveolar nerve or IAN, a peripheral nerve responsible for sensory function in the lower jaw.
A biodegradable polymer tube filled with a collagen sponge bridges the severed nerve ends and supports nerve regeneration.
Shave the left chest and cover it with a drape. Incise the skin and dissect the muscles to expose the second and third ribs.
Cut between the ribs to access the left cervical sympathetic ganglion, which regulates vasoconstriction in the lower jaw.
Inject ethanol into the ganglion and close the incision.
The ethanol damages neurons, thereby disrupting ganglion function and blocking vasoconstrictive signals.
This cervical sympathetic ganglion block induces persistent vasodilation, increasing oxygen and nutrient delivery to the injury site.
Meanwhile, Schwann cells adhere to the collagen matrix, forming regeneration tracks that guide axonal outgrowth.
As axons elongate and remyelinate, the scaffold degrades, leaving behind a regenerated nerve.
One week after the reconstruction procedure, shave the surgical field. Then draw an incision line on the left side of the surgical area, and use a 21 gauge needle to inject 5 mi
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