Fig. 5.

Figs. 5-A through 5-E Neurovascular blood flow changes at one, two, and three weeks after surgical decompression (dCNC) of a chronic nerve compression injury. Figs. 5-A and 5-B Blood in the nerve rebounded to a hyperemic state within three weeks after early decompression but remained below the baseline value after late decompression was performed. The mean and standard error are plotted. **P < 0.01. N = normal (uninjured) nerve. Fig. 5-C Raw contrast image showing different areas within the gluteal split. Fig. 5-D Speckle flow index (SFI) map showing a return of blood flow after early decompression; high flow is red and low flow is black. Fig. 5-E Speckle flow index map after late decompression showing lack of blood flow resulting in permanent hypoxic changes within the nerve.