Nerve regeneration with the use of a poly(l-lactide-co-glycolic acid)-coated collagen tube filled with collagen gel.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to develop a novel artificial nerve conduit and to evaluate its efficiency based on the promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration in rabbits.


METHODS
The nerve conduit was made of a poly (l-lactide-co-glycolic acid)-coated collagen tube filled with collagen gel. The conduits were implanted into a 15 mm gap in the peroneal nerves of five rabbits. On the contralateral side, the defects were bridged with collagen-filled vein grafts.


RESULTS
Twelve weeks postoperatively nerve regeneration was superior to the vein graft in the PLGA-coated collagen tube, both morphologically and electrophysiologically.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate the superiority of the PLGA-coated collagen tube over vein grafts. Furthermore, they show that entubulation repair with this type of tube can support nerve regeneration over a nerve gap distance of at least 15 mm.
Lee
Doug-Youn
DY
Research Institute and Department of Dental Biomaterials and Bioengineering, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University (Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences), Republic of Korea.
Choi
Byung-Ho
BH
Park
Ji-Ho
JH
Zhu
Shi-Jiang
SJ
Kim
Byung-Yong
BY
Huh
Jin-Young
JY
Lee
Seoung-Ho
SH
Jung
Jae-Hyung
JH
Kim
Sung-Hoon
SH
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D003094:Collagen