Repair of the peripheral nerve defect with the combination of allogeneic nerve and autologous neuroma.

AIM To explore the effect of nerve regeneration through repairing the defect of sciatic nerve in rats with the combination of optimized acellular allogeneic nerve and autologous neuroma. MATERIAL AND METHODS 30 SD rats were randomly divided into two groups A and B, with 15 in each, which were used in preparing the models of the autologous neuroma and the defect of sciatic nerve. In the group A, the combination of allogeneic nerve and autologous neuroma was transplanted; in the group B, the autogenous nerve was transplanted. 15 Wistar rats were used to provide acellular allogeneic nerve, which came from the sciatic nerve in one side of the leg. The electrophysiology examination, the evaluation of sciatic nerve function index and the histological examination were done at the 8th weeks and the 16th weeks after the operation. RESULTS At the 8th week, the limb escape response appeared in all rats; at the 16th week, there were many nerve fibers passing through the transplant in group A and group B. There was no significant difference in the number of the regenerated nerve fiber, diameter and the thickness of medullary sheath. At the 8th week, the conduction velocity of the regenerative nerve in group A were lower than that in group B (p < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference in two groups at the 16th week; there was no significant deviation in the function index of sciatic nerve in group A and group B(P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of allogeneic nerve and autologous neuroma, which repairs the defect of peripheral nerve, can promote the regeneration of nerve, and the function of nerve conduction can be recovered, which is a good substitute of nerve grafts.