PRESERVATION OF PERIPHERAL-NERVE GRAFTS - A COMPARISON OF NORMAL SALINE, HTK ORGAN PRESERVATION SOLUTION, AND DMEM SCHWANN-CELL CULTURE-MEDIUM

The regeneration of peripheral nerve grafts was evaluated in a rat mod el, after pretreating the grafts with Schwann cell culture medium, HTK organ preservation solution, and normal saline, under cold ischemic c onditions for different time periods. Following orthotopic replantatio n of the grafts into donor animals, the quality of regeneration was as sessed after 6 weeks, compared to positive controls tautologous transp lantation) and negative controls (acellular grafts). The regenerative quality in the Schwann cell culture groups with ischemic periods of 32 and 72 hr was comparable to normal controls. Significantly minor rege neration was detected in specimens undergoing 14 and 120 hr of ischemi a in the Schwann cell culture medium and in the HTK and normal saline groups, regardless of ischemic time. Among the conclusions was that co ntrolled proliferation of Schwann cells seems to be a basic principle for preservation of peripheral nerve grafts.