Limb Muscle Reinnervation with the Nerve-Muscle-Endplate Grafting Technique: An Anatomical Feasibility Study

Figure 1

Calf muscles and their innervation of the rat left hind limb. (a) The calf muscle group of the left hind limb is exposed after the biceps femoris (BF) is reflected laterally. CP, common peroneal nerve; F, femur; TA, tibialis anterior muscle; GM-l, lateral compartment of the GM; and GM-m, medial compartment of the GM. (b) Left GM is detached and separated from the soleus muscle. (c) The separated calf muscles, including GM, soleus, flexor digitorum longus (FDL), flexor hallucis longus (FHL), and tibialis posterior (TP) muscle innervated by the tibial nerve, as well as the TA and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) innervated by the deep peroneal nerve. F, femur. (d) A rat left hind limb processed with Sihler’s stain without microdissection, showing anatomical relationships among calf muscles, innervating nerves, and bone structures.

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