TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing nerve regeneration across a silicone tube conduit by using interposed short-segment nerve grafts
AU - Francel, Paul C.
AU - Francel, Thomas J.
AU - Mackinnon, Susan E.
AU - Hertl, Cathy
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - Isolated nerve segments may inherently contain all of the necessary factors required to support regeneration within a silicone tube Conduit placed across a nerve gap. Thirty-six adult Lewis rata each weighing approximately 250 g were randomized into three groups. A sciatic nerve gap (13-15 mm in length) was bridged by an empty silicone tube (Group I), a silicone tube containing a short 2-mm interposed nerve segment (Group II), or a nerve autograft (Group III). At 16 weeks postoperatively, no regeneration was observed through the empty silicone tube. In contrast, regeneration across the silicone tube containing the isolated nerve segment was equivalent to that noted through nerve autografts as assessed by histological, electrophysiological, and functional criteria. Thus, an interposed nerve segment will extend the length of successful nerve regeneration through a silicone tube conduit.
AB - Isolated nerve segments may inherently contain all of the necessary factors required to support regeneration within a silicone tube Conduit placed across a nerve gap. Thirty-six adult Lewis rata each weighing approximately 250 g were randomized into three groups. A sciatic nerve gap (13-15 mm in length) was bridged by an empty silicone tube (Group I), a silicone tube containing a short 2-mm interposed nerve segment (Group II), or a nerve autograft (Group III). At 16 weeks postoperatively, no regeneration was observed through the empty silicone tube. In contrast, regeneration across the silicone tube containing the isolated nerve segment was equivalent to that noted through nerve autografts as assessed by histological, electrophysiological, and functional criteria. Thus, an interposed nerve segment will extend the length of successful nerve regeneration through a silicone tube conduit.
KW - Histological, electrophysiological, and functional results
KW - Interposed nerve graft
KW - Nerve regeneration
KW - Silicone tube
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030725947&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3171/jns.1997.87.6.0887
DO - 10.3171/jns.1997.87.6.0887
M3 - Article
C2 - 9384400
AN - SCOPUS:0030725947
VL - 87
SP - 887
EP - 892
JO - Journal of Neurosurgery
JF - Journal of Neurosurgery
SN - 0022-3085
IS - 6
ER -