title: Return of motor function after repair of a 3-cm gap in a rabbit peroneal nerve: a comparison of autograft, collagen conduit, and conduit filled with collagen-GAG matrix.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the motor nerve recovery in a rabbit model after repair of a 3-cm gap in the peroneal nerve with a conduit filled with a collagen-GAG (glycosaminoglycan) matrix and compare the results with those after reconstruction with an autograft or an empty collagen conduit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two male New Zealand rabbits were divided into three experimental groups. In each group, a unilateral 3-cm peroneal nerve defect was repaired with a nerve autograft, an empty collagen conduit, or a conduit filled with a collagen-GAG matrix. At six months, nerve regeneration was evaluated on the basis of the compound muscle action potentials, maximum isometric tetanic force, and wet muscle weight of the tibialis anterior muscle as well as nerve histomorphometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The autograft group had significantly better motor recovery than the conduit groups. The empty collagen conduits and conduits filled with the collagen-GAG matrix led to results that were similar to each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of this rabbit model, autologous nerve grafting remains the gold standard in the reconstruction of 3-cm segmental motor nerve defects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Segmental motor nerve defects should be reconstructed with autograft nerves. The use of a collagen conduit filled with a collagen-GAG matrix for motor nerve reconstruction should be limited until additional animal studies are performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905. E-mail address for A.Y. Shin: shin.alexander@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Tatevik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sahakyants
authors.forename: Joo-Yup
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Patricia F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: Allen T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Alexander Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous