Anemia Following Nerve Resection

1. Unilateral sciatic and femoral nerve resection is followed by a marked and lasting fall in the red cell count and hemoglobin value in the albino rat.

2. There are different types in the course of the anemia.

3. A definite parallelism has been observed between the course and severity of anemia and of trophic disturbances developing in the limb almost deprived of its nerve supply.

4. The resection of different peripheral nerves equally results in anemia in the albino rat. The grade of anemia depends on the size of the area supplied by the resected nerve.

5. It is essential in the development of nerve resection anemia that the area with impaired nerve supply and trophic disturbances remain in the organism. Humoral or neurohumoral effects emitted from this area with impaired metabolism are the factors eliciting the anemia observed.

6. Anemia following nerve resection is not due to a change in the distribution of blood cells, nor is it a sequel to loss of blood.

7. Secondary infections, or manifestations of some latent infection (first of all, bartonellosis) are not involved in the development of nerve resection anemia.

8. Chronic tissue destruction induced in areas with intact innervation causes no anemia.

9. Anemia following nerve resection is not due to a deficiency in nutrition.

10. Nerve resections are followed by changes in the entire blood cell system, especially in the formation, maturation and destruction of erythrocytes.

11. Hematologic studies carried out after nerve resections indicate an increased reticuloendothelial activity and the impairment of iron and nucleic acid metabolism.