RESUMO
BACKGROUND: It is seldom reported that the effect of chemical acellular nerve allograft combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on sciatic nerve injury is evaluated by tensile mechanical properties. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of chemical acellular nerve allograft combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in the treatment of sciatic nerve injury. METHODS: Forty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into autologous nerve transplantation group, chemical acellular nerve allograft group, and chemical acellular nerve allograft and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group (n=15 per group). Models of 10-mm sciatic nerve injury were prepared. The injured sciatic nerves were repaired using autologous nerve, chemical acellular nerve allograft and chemical acellular nerve allograft and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. At 20 weeks after surgery, electrophysiological measurement and stretching experiments were carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The wave amplitude and motion conduction velocity were larger in the chemical acellular nerve allograft and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group and autologous nerve transplantation group than in the chemical acellular nerve allograft group (P < 0.05). (2) The tensile elastic limit strain, elastic limit stress, maximum strain and maximum stress were larger in the chemical acellular nerve allograft and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group and autologous nerve transplantation group than in the chemical acellular nerve allograft group (P < 0.05). (3) These results suggest that chemical acellular nerve allograft and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation has obvious effect on repairing sciatic nerve injury.