Biomechanical characterization of cadaveric brachial plexus microstructure

• Published in: Hand surgery and rehabilitation 2024-09, Vol.43 (4), p.101745, Article 101745
• Main Authors: Perruisseau-Carrier, Anne C., Marco, Yann, Fleury, Vadim, Brogan, David M., Forli, Alexandra, Bahlouli, Nadia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomechanics; Brachial plexus; Brachial Plexus - injuries; Cadaver; Connective Tissue - physiology; Elastic Modulus; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Peripheral nerves; Stress, Mechanical; Stretch injury; Tensile Strength - physiology; Tensile test
• ISSN: 2468-1229; 2468-1210; 2468-1210
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hansur.2024.101745

Peripheral nerves consist of axons and connective tissue. The amount of connective tissue in peripheral nerves such as the brachial plexus varies proximally to distally. The proximal regions of the brachial plexus are more susceptible to stretch injuries than the distal regions. A description of the mechanical behavior of the peripheral nerve components is necessary to better understand the deformation mechanisms during stretch injuries. The purpose of this study was to model the biomechanical behavior of each component of the peripheral nerves (fascicles, connective tissue) in a cadaveric model and report differences in elastic modulus, maximum stress and maximum strain. Forty-six specimens of fascicles and epi-perineurium were subjected to cyclical uniaxial tensile tests to obtain the stress and strain histories of each specimen, using a BOSE® Electroforce® 3330 and INSTRON® 5969 materials testing machines. Maximum stress, maximum strain and elastic modulus were extracted from the load–displacement and stress–strain curves, and analyzed using Mann-Whitney tests. Mean elastic modulus was 6.34 MPa for fascicles, and 32.1 MPa for connective tissue. The differences in elastic modulus and maximum stress between fascicles and connective tissue were statistically significant (p