THE EFFECT OF OMENTAL WRAPPING ON NERVE GRAFT REGENERATION

We have performed 1 cm long nerve grafts in the sciatic nerves of 60 W istar rats. In 30 cases (n = 30) the grafts were wrapped in omentum. W e have studied the nerve regeneration accomplished after 30 and 90 pos toperative days from the histological and neurophysiological points of views. Survival of the omentum has been excellent. The histological a ssessment showed a higher blood vessel population as well as a higher count of axons in the cases where the nerve graft was wrapped in oment um. Areas with neural fibrosis, which are a sign of poor vascularisati on, were smaller in the cases with omentum. The amplitude of the contr action in the gastrocnemius muscle was higher in the cases where oment um was used. The endothelial cells of the omentum synthesise fibroblas t growth factors (acid and basic) which, due to their angiogenic and n euronotrophic properties, may be the cause of the beneficial effects o f omentum on peripheral nerve regeneration.