Experimental study of repair of sciatic nerve gap in rat by chitosan tube and polyglycolic fiber

Objectives To investigate the process and the result of the repair of the sciatic nerve in rat by chitosan tube and polyglycolic fiber Methods The left sciatic nerves of rats were transected with 10 mm gap, then repaired with the nerve grafts in combination of NRF Walking track analysis, immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic examinations were carried out at different time after the operation Results Fibrous membrane and capillary could be observed on the surface of the grafts at the first week after the operation; at the 4th week, the regenerated nerve fibers grew more than half of the distances of the gap; at the 8th week, regenerated nerve fibers overcame the gap, many myelinated nerve fibers and thick myelin sheathes could be observed; at the 16th week, the grafts almost degraded and were substituted by the regenerated nerve Walking track analysis showed that sciatic nerve function recovery appeared at the 8th week, and that at the 16th week, approximately 60% of the sciatic nerve function was recovered Conclusion The nerve graft with NRF can stimulate the growth of vessels and the formation of the fibrous membrane, and is useful to the migration of Schwann cells and regeneration of axons, and degrade after the nerve regeneration