Immunohistochemical study of skin nerve regeneration after toe-to-finger transplantation: Correlations with clinical, quantitative sensory, and electrophysiological evaluations

Cutaneous nerve regeneration following toe-to-finger transplantation was studied by immunohistochemical technique using antibody to protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) which is a specific neuronal marker. By this technique, epidermal and dermal nerves were semi-quantified and the Meissner's corpuscles were quantified. There were also quantitative sensory tests (QST) including pinprick, pressure and temperature, as well as electrophysiological studies including digital nerve sensory conduction, digital nerve somatosensory evoked potentials and sympathetic skin response at the pulp of the transplanted toes. The opposite corresponding normal finger and normal toe served as controls. Study subjects were 20 adult patients with toe-to-finger transplantation for at least one year. A score system was used to quantify the results of histochemical, psychophysiological and electrophysiological studies. Clinically 7 patients had good recovery and 13 patients had poor recovery. Cutaneous nerve regeneration in the transplanted toes was incomplete with epidermal nerve, dermal nerve and the Meissner's corpuscle significantly reduced. The nerve regeneration was correlated with clinical recovery, QST and electrophysiological data. These findings indicate that immunohischemical technique is useful to evaluate skin nerve regeneration following toe-to-finger transplantation, and that although nerve regeneration did occur, it was incomplete and correlated with the severity of hand injury.