SCIATIC-NERVE REGENERATION THROUGH VENOUS OR NERVOUS GRAFTS IN THE RAT

This study analyses the interest of isologous venous grafts filled wit h saline or with Schwann cells versus nerve grafts as guides for regen eration of the sciatic nerve in 35 Wistar rats, Electrophysiological p arameters (conduction velocities and distal latencies of motor respons es) and the functional index of De Medinacelli were measured several t imes from 1 month to 1 year after surgery. An histological analysis wa s performed on 2 control rats and on 3 rats killed 6 or 12 months afte r surgery: the total number of fibers was counted on a montage photopr int of the whole nerve, and the diameters of axons and the thickness o f the myelin sheath were measured on digitized images. With a portion of nerve as guide, the regeneration is faster than with a vein. Howeve r, regeneration after 6 months is at least as good with a venous graft filled with Schwann cells, as assessed by electrophysiological, funct ional, and histological analysis. The addition of Schwann cells in gra fted veins allows the nerve to regenerate through longer gaps than pre viously described (25 vs 15 mm). In order to assess the quality of ner ve regeneration, functional, electrophysiological, and histological an alysis are complementary. (C) 1997 Academic Press.