Comparison of the Effects of Local and Systemic Dexamethasone on the Rat Traumatic Sciatic Nerve Model

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of peroperatively locally administered dexamethasone on nerve recovery after induced nerve crush injury. MATERIAL and METHODS: 4 groups of 8 animals were formed. The sciatic nerves of 32 rats were exposed at midthigh level and those of 24 rats were crushed for 30 seconds with a pair of jeweler's forceps. RESULTS: Sciatic functional index (SFI) measurements of all the animals included at days 7, 14, 21 and 28 was statistically significant (p<0.05). Pinch tests that were done on the first 13 days gave negative results in all the groups. There was a difference between the test results of Group II and those of Group III and IV at days 14, 21 and 28. When the duration of the experiment was taken as a whole, no difference was observed between the test results of Group Ill and IV. CONCLUSION: Recovery in the group treated with local dexamethasone was more remarkable than that in the group treated with systemic dexamethasone in our study. As the difference was statistically significant, we recommend the perioperative use of local dexamethasone in procedures that might induce nerve injury.