NERVE REGENERATION IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRAFTS - EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RABBITS

The nerve regeneration patterns of five different types of grafts were studied in 40 rabbits, Conventional nerve autografts, vascularized ne rve autografts, fresh nerve allografts, frozen nerve allografts, and m uscle autografts were sutured to a 1.5 cm gap in the sciatic nerve and compared with normal nerves and nerves with a 3 cm gap, Regeneration was evaluated by means of electromyography, light and electron microsc opy, Quantitative data from morphometric analysis of axonal diameter a nd myelination were statisticallyanalyzed. Results 5 months after graf ting showed no significant differences between the conventional and va scularized nerve autografts. There were no significant differences bet ween frozen nerve allografts and muscle autografts. The best regenerat ion was achieved with autografts. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.