title: Chitosan conduits combined with nerve growth factor microspheres repair facial nerve defects.
abstract: Microspheres containing nerve growth factor for sustained release were prepared by a compound method, and implanted into chitosan conduits to repair 10-mm defects on the right buccal branches of the facial nerve in rabbits. In addition, chitosan conduits combined with nerve growth factor or normal saline, as well as autologous nerve, were used as controls. At 90 days post-surgery, the muscular atrophy on the right upper lip was more evident in the nerve growth factor and normal sa-line groups than in the nerve growth factor-microspheres and autologous nerve groups. physiological analysis revealed that the nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were significantly higher in the nerve growth factor-microspheres and autologous nerve groups than in the nerve growth factor and normal saline groups. Moreover, histological observation illustrated that the di-ameter, number, alignment and myelin sheath thickness of myelinated nerves derived from rabbits were higher in the nerve growth factor-microspheres and autologous nerve groups than in the nerve growth factor and normal saline groups. These findings indicate that chitosan nerve conduits bined with microspheres for sustained release of nerve growth factor can significantly improve facial nerve defect repair in rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Huawei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Weisheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Second Hospital of Beijing Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, First Sanatorium of Qingdao, Jinan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Lijie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Sanxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Xinying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
keywords: chitosan; facial nerve defect; grants-supported paper; microsphere; nerve conduit; nerve growth factor; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; peripheral nerve injury; tissue engineering