Chitosan/PVA nerve conduits repair sciatic nerve defect in rats / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of chitosan/PVA nerve conduits which used for repairing sciatics nerve defect in rats.MethodsTwenty-seven rats were divided into 3 groups randomly,with 9 rats in each group. Firstly, the 15mm defects in the left sciatic nerves were made in the rats and were respectively repaired with chitosan/PVA conduits graft (group A), the silicon conduits graft (group B),and autografts (group C). At 12 weeks after the operations, the left sciatic nerves were taken out, and the comparative evaluation was made on the repairing effects by wet weight of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, histological examination,computerized imaging analysis and True Blue retrograde tracing. ResultsThe wet weight of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles showed no significant difference between the chitosan/PVA graft and autograft groups (P ＞ 0.05). The wet weight of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in significant difference between the chitosan/PVA graft and the silicon group at 12 weeks after the operation(P ＜ 0.05). The nerve fiber density showed no statistically significant differences between the chitosan/PVA and autograft groups(P＞ 0.05).The regenerative nerve fiber in group B had normal morphological and structural characters under transmission electron microscope.True Blue-labeled neuron cell bodies were found within both anterior horn of gray matter in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) ipsilateral to the operated side of the tested rats on illumination with ultra-violet light 1 week after the injection of True Blue.Conclusion Chitosan/PVA nerve conduit can effectively promote the nerve regeneration and myelinization of rat sciatic nerve, which is expected to substitute for autograft to repair nerve defects succesfully.