The peripheral nervous system (PNS) can regener- ate after injury but to fill a gap it needs to find a proper guide directing the axonal elongation. Many techni- ques and devices have been studied in order to pro- mote nerve regeneration but are still inadequate. The aim of this work is to validate an innovative high poros- ity collagen tube (medical devices, MD) in order to induce nerve regeneration in a 10-mm gap in the adult rat sciatic nerve. Nerves were retrieved for morpholog- ical and ultrastructural analysis at 8, 15, 30, 40 and 54, 90 and 120 days postoperatively and analyzed at differ- ent levels. Nerve conduction studies were also evalu- ated. At 8 days postoperatively fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix reorganization were already evident associated with a great number of mature endoneurial neovessels with tight junctions. In the fol- lowing time points an active process of axonal regen- eration was documented; after two months we showed, in the regenerated mid-graft, a normal num- ber of well myelinated axons with normal G-ratio and definite signs of reinnervation in the tibial and peroneal branch. No inflammatory cells were evident. Electro- physiological assessment showed a motor action potential at 90 days postoperatively distally, recordable at the paw. Overall, the neurophysiological and neuro- pathological data demonstrate the terrific quality of nerve regeneration using our MD which performs bet- ter in comparison to the collagen already available in clinical practice and the silicone tubes, used as a con- trol. These results make us confident in proposing our MD in clinical practice to treat injury of the PNS.
Biomaterial to promote nerve regeneration: towards clinical trials
SALVATORE, LUCA;SANNINO, Alessandro;
2009-01-01
Abstract
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) can regener- ate after injury but to fill a gap it needs to find a proper guide directing the axonal elongation. Many techni- ques and devices have been studied in order to pro- mote nerve regeneration but are still inadequate. The aim of this work is to validate an innovative high poros- ity collagen tube (medical devices, MD) in order to induce nerve regeneration in a 10-mm gap in the adult rat sciatic nerve. Nerves were retrieved for morpholog- ical and ultrastructural analysis at 8, 15, 30, 40 and 54, 90 and 120 days postoperatively and analyzed at differ- ent levels. Nerve conduction studies were also evalu- ated. At 8 days postoperatively fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix reorganization were already evident associated with a great number of mature endoneurial neovessels with tight junctions. In the fol- lowing time points an active process of axonal regen- eration was documented; after two months we showed, in the regenerated mid-graft, a normal num- ber of well myelinated axons with normal G-ratio and definite signs of reinnervation in the tibial and peroneal branch. No inflammatory cells were evident. Electro- physiological assessment showed a motor action potential at 90 days postoperatively distally, recordable at the paw. Overall, the neurophysiological and neuro- pathological data demonstrate the terrific quality of nerve regeneration using our MD which performs bet- ter in comparison to the collagen already available in clinical practice and the silicone tubes, used as a con- trol. These results make us confident in proposing our MD in clinical practice to treat injury of the PNS.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
