bloodnerve

Bloodnerve is a term occasionally used in medical writing to describe the vascular network associated with a peripheral nerve. In this sense, it refers to the arteries, capillaries, and veins that accompany nerve fibers within the nerve sheath and interconnect with the surrounding microvasculature. The expression is not a standardized anatomical term and may be used loosely to denote the nerve’s blood supply or the related blood-nerve barrier.

Anatomy and function: The bloodnerve network comprises the vasa nervorum—small arteries and capillaries that penetrate the epineurium and perineurium into the endoneurium—plus venous drainage that helps remove metabolic waste. The endoneurial microvasculature maintains the neural environment and participates in exchange of nutrients and waste. The blood-nerve barrier, akin to the blood-brain barrier, regulates molecular traffic between blood and nerve tissue, contributing to homeostasis and protection from large molecules.

Clinical relevance: Alterations in bloodnerve perfusion can contribute to peripheral neuropathies. Ischemia due to vascular disease, vasculitis, diabetic microangiopathy, or compression can injure nerves. Assessment may involve electrophysiology, imaging, or nerve biopsy in select cases; therapeutic strategies may target microvascular flow and management of underlying vascular conditions.

History and terminology: Because “bloodnerve” is not widely used in modern anatomy, most authorities prefer “vasa nervorum” for the arterial supply and “blood-nerve barrier” for the regulatory interface. The term may appear in older texts or in discussions emphasizing the vascular context of nerve injury.

See also: vasa nervorum; blood-nerve barrier; endoneurium; perineurium.