Peripheral nerve regeneration through a synthetic hydrogel nerve tube.
OBJECTIVE
As alternatives to nerve grafts for peripheral nerve repair, we have synthesized 12 mm long poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (PHEMA-MMA) porous tubes and studied their regenerative capacity for the repair of surgically-created 10 mm rat sciatic nerve gaps. We compared the in vivo regenerative efficacy of these artificial tubes with the gold standard, the nerve autograft.


METHODS
Tubes were assessed in vivo for their ability to support nerve regeneration at 4, 8, and 16 weeks post-implantation by histology, electrophysiology, histomorphometry, and reinnervated lateral gastrocnemius (LG) dry muscle mass.


RESULTS
Axonal regeneration within the tubes was observed by 8 weeks, with outcome parameters comparable to autografts. This finding was further supported by the electrophysiological and histomorphometric results. The 16 week tube group had a bimodal response, with 60% of the tubes having a similar response to autografts and the other 40% having significantly lower (p < 0.05) outcome measures in several parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Axonal regeneration in artificial tubes was similar to that in autografts at 8 and 16 weeks, however, a bimodal distribution of regeneration was observed in 16 week tubes.
Belkas
Jason S
JS
Division of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Research Program, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Canada.
Munro
Catherine A
CA
Shoichet
Molly S
MS
Midha
Rajiv
R
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate