Experimental Study for Nerve Regeneration Using Tubes Filled with Autogenous Skeletal Muscle in a Gap of Rabbit Sciatic Nerves

백색 가토 좌골 신경의 신경 결손부위에서 자가 골격근 충진 도관을 이용한 신경재생 연구

The bridging of nerve gaps is still one of the major problems in peripheral nerve surgery. To evaluate the role of silicon tube in nerve regeneration, gaps were made by resection of tibial components of sciatic nerves of twenty-five New Zealand rabbits. The gaps were divided into five groups. In group I, the tibial components of sciatic nerves were isolated and the incision immediately closed. In group II, 1-cm segments of the nerve were removed and the silicon tubes filled with autogenous skeletal muscle were sutured in place. In group III, 1-cm segments of the nerve were removed and the silicon tubes filled without muscle were sutured in place. In group IV, 2-cm segments of the nerve were removed and the silicon tubes filled with autogenous skeletal muscle were sutured in place. In group V, 2-cm segments of the nerve were removed and the silicon tubes filled without muscle were sutured in place. At 16th week, the eletromyography, the light and transmission electron microscopy were performed. Nerve conduction study stimulating sciatic nerve proximal to the lesion and recording at gastrocnemius muscle showed that the compound muscle action potentials of the group II with 1 cm nerve defect filled with muscle were higher amplitudes than the group III without muscle. Compound muscle action potentials of the group IV with 2 cm defect filled with muscle showed similar results in comparison with the group V. The light and transmission electron microscpy showed that a good morphological pattern of nerve regeneration in 1 cm gap than 2 cm and in gap with muscle than gap without muscle.