REGENERATION THROUGH LONG NERVE GRAFTS IN THE SWINE MODEL

We investigated regeneration across a long nerve defect in the swine m odel to study extensive neural loss and long nerve gap. Most experimen ts have been conducted in the rodent model that, while an appropriate immunological model, only allows short nerve gaps to be studied. Twelv e outbred swine received either an 8-cm ulnar nerve autograft or an al lograft without immunosuppression. At 6 and 10 months, histomorphometr y of the autografts demonstrated excellent nerve regeneration, while v ery poor regeneration was noted across the allografts, This confirmed that 8 cm are an adequate challenge independent of the spontaneous reg eneration potential of axons seen in rodents. The swine ulnar nerve gr aft model causes minimal morbidity and will now be used with immunolog ical manipulation of inbred animals. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.