title: Combined polyglycolic acid tube and autografting versus autografting or polyglycolic acid tube alone. A comparative study of peripheral nerve regeneration in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare sciatic nerve regeneration in rats using three different techniques of repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen isogonics rats were divided into three groups according to the method used to repair a 5-mm long defect created in the sciatic nerve: autogenous graft (Group A), polyglycolic acid tube (PGAt) (Group B), and of the association of PGAt with the graft (Group C). Histological analysis, regenerated myelinated axon number count and functional analysis were used to compare after six weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in fiber diameter and degree of myelinization presented by Groups A, B and C. Group B presented the lowest number of regenerated axons. The groups did not display any significant functional difference after walking track analysis (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No differences between the three groups in terms of functional recovery, although there were histological differences among them.
authors: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Márcio Paulino
authors: MP
authors: Costa
authors: Faculty of Medicine, USP, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Nuberto Hopfgartner
authors: NH
authors: Teixeira
authors: Faculty of Medicine, USP, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Marco Vinicius Losso
authors: MV
authors: Longo
authors: Department of Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, USP, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Rolf
authors: R
authors: Gemperli
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, USP, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Heloisa Juliana Zabeu Rossi
authors: HJ
authors: Costa
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011100:Polyglycolic Acid