RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AXONAL REGENERATION AND VASCULARITY IN TUBULATION - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS

This study investigated the effect of vascularity in a nerve conduit o n peripheral nerve regeneration. The effect of three different types o f tube (empty, blood vessel-containing and ligated vessel-containing) was compared using a rat sciatic nerve preparation with a 10-mm gap. N erve regeneration through the vessel-containing tube was more efficien t than in the other tubes 6 and 12 weeks after tubulation surgery, but there were no statistically significant differences among the three t ypes of tube after 24 weeks. Electrophysiological, histological and mi croangiographic studies showed that vessels which were preinserted in the nerve conduit accelerated axonal regeneration through rapid capill ary formation in the tube.