R. Kakinoki et al., RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AXONAL REGENERATION AND VASCULARITY IN TUBULATION - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS, Neuroscience research, 23(1), 1995, pp. 35-45
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.