Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Neuroma in Male Wistar Rats

Background: Post-traumatic neuroma results from the proliferation of neural tissue following nerve bundle damage, leading to pain and disability.Cryotherapy is a growing technique for chronic pain treatment.To better understand its effects on post-traumatic neuroma, we explored its use in this study.Materials and Methods: Twenty-five male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: Sham (n=5), Control (n=10), and Cryotherapy (n=10).In the latter two groups, a distal lateral thigh incision was made to identify the tibial nerve, followed by transection and fixation below the skin.Sixty days post-transection, the Cryotherapy Group was treated at the neuroma site.Behavioral tests assessed tissue sensitivity to mechanical stimulation after surgery.After 120 days, all rats were euthanized for histological vessel count and immunohistochemical analysis of Schwann cells using SOX10 protein antigen.Results: Initial behavioral tests showed no statistical difference between the Control and Cryotherapy Groups.After 120 days, the Cryotherapy Group had better outcomes compared to the Control.Vessel count showed a statistical difference between the Sham and Cryotherapy Groups versus the Control.No significant difference was found between the Sham and Cryotherapy Groups.The Cryotherapy Group exhibited reduced Schwann cell mean and variability compared to the Control, though not as low as the Sham. Conclusion:Cryotherapy was effective in treating neuroma in rats.