Ropivacaine Promotes Axon Regeneration by Regulating Nav1.8-mediated Macrophage Signaling after Sciatic Nerve Injury in Rats

ConclusionsContinuous nerve block with ropivacaine promotes the structural and functional recovery of injured sciatic nerves, possibly by regulating Nav1.8-mediated macrophage signaling.Editor ’s PerspectiveWhat We Already Know about This TopicNav1.8, a tetrodotoxin-resistant voltage gated sodium channel, is expressed in primary afferent nociceptors and regulates their activity by sensing macrophage-derived cytokinesThe local anesthetic ropivacaine is a blocker of sodium channels and has also been shown to modulate inflammatory responses after surgeryThe mechanistic link between Nav1.8-mediated macrophage responses to inflammation and ropivacaine administration is incompletely understoodWhat This Article Tells Us That Is NewIn a rat model of sciatic nerve transection repair, continuous infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine to the injury site for 3 days promoted both histologic and functional sensorimotor recoveryThe enhanced recovery was associated with an attenuated upregulation of Nav1.8, faster clearance of myelin debris, and increased macrophage infiltrationThese observations suggest that continuous nerve block with ropivacaine may promote morphofunctional recovery after peripheral nerve injuryvia Nav1.8-mediated macrophage signaling
Source: Anesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research