Functional recovery after repair of peroneal nerve gap using different collagen conduits.
BACKGROUND
Currently, autologous nerve implantation to bridge a long nerve gap presents the greatest regenerative performance in spite of substantial drawbacks. In this study, we evaluate the effect of two different collagen conduits bridging a peroneal nerve gap.


METHODS
Rats were divided into four groups: (1) the gold standard group, in which a 10-mm-long nerve segment was cut, reversed, and reimplanted between the nerve stumps; (2) the CG-I/III group, in which a type I/III collagen conduit bridged the gap; (3) the CG-I, in which a type I collagen conduit was grafted; and (4) the sham group, in which a surgery was performed without injuring the nerve. Peroneal Functional Index and kinematics analysis of locomotion were performed weekly during the 12 weeks post-surgery. At the end of the protocol, additional electrophysiological tests, muscular weight measurements, axon counting, and g-ratio analysis were carried out.


RESULTS
Functional loss followed by incomplete recovery was observed in animals grafted with collagen conduits. At 12 weeks post-surgery, the ventilatory rate of the CG-I group in response to exercise was similar to the sham group, contrary to the CG-I/III group. After KCl injections, an increase in metabosensitive afferent-fiber activity was recorded, but the response stayed incomplete for the collagen groups compared to the sham group. Furthermore, the CG-I group presented a higher number of axons and seemed to induce a greater axonal maturity compared to the CG-I/III group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the grafting of a type I collagen conduit may present slight better prospects than a type I/III collagen conduit.
Institut des Sciences du Mouvement: Etienne-Jules MAREY, Equipe, Plasticité des Systèmes Nerveux et Musculaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Faculté des Sciences du Sport de Marseille, Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 7287, CC910 - 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille Cedex 09, France.
Vincent
V
Pertici
Jérôme
J
Laurin
François
F
Féron
Tanguy
T
Marqueste
Patrick
P
Decherchi
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D008297:Male; D009133:Muscular Atrophy; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function
D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III