Neuropathological changes in vibration injury: an experimental study. Microsurgery 2005;25(1):71-5
Date
01/13/2005Pubmed ID
15645420DOI
10.1002/micr.20081Scopus ID
2-s2.0-13444270770 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 17 CitationsAbstract
Vibration syndrome, a clinical condition arising from chronic use of vibrating tools, is associated with a spectrum of neurovascular symptoms. To date, only its vascular pathology has been extensively studied; we sought to determine what direct neurologic injury, if any, is caused by vibration. Hindlimbs of anesthetized rats were affixed to a vibrating platform 4 h a day for 7 days. Study animals were vibrated with set parameters for frequency, acceleration, velocity, and amplitude; control animals were not vibrated. On day 7, nerves were studied by light and electron microscopy. While light microscopy showed minimal histologic differences between vibrated (n=12) and control (n=12) nerves, electron microscopic changes were dramatic. Splitting of the myelin sheath and axonal damage (e.g., myelin balls and "finger ring") were consistently seen in both myelinated and nonmyelinated axons. Despite relatively short vibration, definite pathology was demonstrated, suggesting that vibration syndrome has a direct neurologic component.
Author List
Matloub HS, Yan JG, Kolachalam RB, Zhang LL, Sanger JR, Riley DAAuthors
Hani S. Matloub MD Professor in the Plastic Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinJames R. Sanger MD Professor in the Plastic Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsHindlimb
Male
Peripheral Nerve Injuries
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Vibration