ABSTRACT
A. Maximize the number of axons regenerating across an injury site.
B. Maximize the accuracy of reinnervation by careful realignment of matching fascicles within the nerve (e.g., motor fascicle to motor fascicle, sensory fascicle to sensory fascicle). Detailed nervemaps havebeendeveloped for larger nerves to help predict where certain fascicles will rest. For example, in the median nerve, the volar radial segment of the nerve is known to contain the motor branch fibers to the thenar eminence. In the ulnar nerve, theulnardorsal segmentof the nerve contains the motor fibers to the intrinsic muscles of the hand.
