Experimental paralysis of the radial nerve and ulnar nerve in rabbits with treat acupuncture and the results of electromyography, pathological and biochemical evaluation

Peripheral nerve injuries are among the most important problems in veterinary medicine. Peripheral nerve injuries that are frequently encountered in pet animals, mostly cats and dogs, are tried to be treated using many operative and medical treatment methods. In recent years, a number of alternative treatment methods have been used in peripheral nerve damage in veterinary medicine, like in human medicine. One of these treatment methods is electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture applications are used for supportive purposes in addition to operative and medical treatment used in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. In this study, acupuncture was used to treat the damage of radial and ulnar nerves of rabbits. In our study, the effect of electroacupuncture on early and late radial and ulnar nerve damage has been evaluated in terms of clinical, electromyographic, biochemical, immunohistochemical and histopathological aspects. A total of 28 New Zealand species rabbits were used in the study. The rabbits were divided into four groups as acute nerve injury test group (ANI),chronic nerve injury test group (CNI),positive control group (PC) and negative control group (NC). In ANI, CNI and PC rabbits, to create damage on the radial and ulnar nerves; rabbits were anesthetized with xylazine hydrochloride at a dose of 5 mg / kg and ketamine hydrochloride at a dose of 35 mg / kg. After shaving and disinfection, the operation area was opened with routine surgical procedures. With the help of hemostatic clamps, the nerves were subjected to 60 seconds of pressure at 1 cm distal where plexus brachialis branched as n. radialis and n. ulnaris . No damage was caused to the nerves of rabbits in the NC group. A total of 15 sessions of electroacupuncture were performed for the rabbits in the ANI, CNI and NC groups using the LI-4, LI-10, LR-3 and ST-36 electroacupuncture points. The rabbits in the PC group were not treated with electroacupuncture. As a result of clinical examinations and electromyographic evaluations made during the treatment period, rabbits in ANI group showed more improvement than rabbits in CNI group. In addition, positive results were obtained in rabbits in CNI group compared to rabbits in PC group. At the end of the study, rabbits underwent decapitation under anesthesia. Radial and ulnar nerve tissues were evaluated histopathologically, immunohistochemically and biochemically. In histopathological studies, degenerative foci in the radial and ulnar nerves of rabbits in ANI and CNI groups were found to be less than those in the PC group. In immunohistochemical studies, nerve growth factor (NGF) and S100 immunoreactivity were higher in radial and ulnar nerve tissues of rabbits in ANI and CNI group than in PC group. Again, as a result of the biochemical investigations, the antioxidant levels in the radial and ulnar nerves of the rabbits in the ANI and CNI group were not statistically significantly different from those in the NK group, but there was a statistically significant difference with those in the PC group. As a result of this study, it has been determined that electroacupuncture is an effective treatment method for both acute and chronic nerve injuries; it has also been found that it is more effective in acute cases compared to chronic cases. This effectiveness has been confirmed by clinical and electromyographic evaluations as well as by pathological and biochemical evaluations.