Comparison between Flexible Collagen and Vein Conduits Used for Size-Discrepant Nerve Repair: An Experimental Study in Rats

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Demir A., Simsek T., Acar M., Aktas A., Vlamings R., Ayyildiz M., ...Daha Fazla

JOURNAL OF RECONSTRUCTIVE MICROSURGERY, cilt.30, sa.5, ss.329-334, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 30 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2014
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1055/s-0033-1356551
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF RECONSTRUCTIVE MICROSURGERY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.329-334
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Primary nerve repair is the gold standard in nerve reconstruction. When primary repair is not possible for injured nerves, conduit-assisted repair methods are frequently used. As conduits, autologous vein segments or allogenic biodegradable products can be used. However, their effectiveness when used in a nerve defect where a size discrepancy exists has not been compared. In this study, either a vein graft or a synthetic collagen conduit was used to bridge 10-mm defects between size-discrepant tibial and peroneal nerves in a rat model. After 90 days, nerve regeneration was evaluated using electrophysiological and histological methods. It can be concluded based on the results of this study that bridging a 10-mm nerve gap with synthetic collagen conduits and autologous vein grafts yielded similar results in small-to-large nerve coaptations, with the vein graft being slightly more effective.

Primary nerve repair is the gold standard in nerve reconstruction. When primary repair is not possible for injured nerves, conduit-assisted repair methods are frequently used. As conduits, autologous vein segments or allogenic biodegradable products can be used. However, their effectiveness when used in a nerve defect where a size discrepancy exists has not been compared. In this study, either a vein graft or a synthetic collagen conduit was used to bridge 10-mm defects between size-discrepant tibial and peroneal nerves in a rat model. After 90 days, nerve regeneration was evaluated using electrophysiological and histological methods. It can be concluded based on the results of this study that bridging a 10-mm nerve gap with synthetic collagen conduits and autologous vein grafts yielded similar results in small-to-large nerve coaptations, with the vein graft being slightly more effective.