COMPARISON OF MICROSUTURING TO THE USE OF TISSUE ADHESIVES IN ANASTOMOSING SCIATIC-NERVE CUTS IN RATS

The purpose of this study was to investigate and to compare the effect s of microsuturing to that of tissue adhesives (Tissee(R)) on the heal ing of anastomosing peripheral nerve incisions. Forty-five Wistar-Albi no rats were placed in special cages and separated into three groups ( n = 15). In the control group, biliteral sciatic nerves were explored but no incision was made. In the first experimental group, bilateral s ciatic nerves were incised and end-to-end anastomosing was performed b y microsuturing the epineurium. In the second experimental group, tiss ue adhesive (Tisseel(R)) was used alone in anastomosing the sciatic ne rve cuts. Assessments of the healing processes were demonstrated by 1. electromyography (EMG), 2. measuring the electrical responses of the anastomosed nerves after electrical stimuli, 3. histopathological exam ination. Statistical analysis of the EMG findings showed that the Tiss eel group was the closest in the healing process to the control group. After applying electrical stimuli to the dissected nerves, the resist ance value of the Tisseel group was nearest to those of the control gr oup. The histopathological examinations showed highly degenerative ner ve bundles and prominent foreign body granuloma at the anastomosed sit es of the microsutured group. The granulomatous inflammation was obser ved to be much less in the Tisseel group. We conclude that the healing effect of Tisseel was found to be superior to that of microsuturing a s demonstrated by the findings of EMG, electrical responses of the ana stomosed nerves, and histopathological examination.