title: Comparison of results between chitosan hollow tube and autologous nerve graft in reconstruction of peripheral nerve defect: An experimental study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated a chitosan tube for regeneration of the injured peripheral nerve in a rodent transected sciatic nerve model in comparison to autologous nerve graft repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chitosan hollow tube was used to bridge a 10-mm gap between the proximal and distal ends in 11 rats. In the control group, an end-to-end coaptation of 10-mm long autologous nerve graft was performed in 10 rats for nerve reconstruction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SFI showed an insignificant advantage to the autologous group both at 30 days (P = 0.177) and at 90 days post procedure (P = 0.486). Somato-sensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) tests showed similar results between chitosan tube (group 1) and autologous (group 2) groups with no statistically significant differences. Both groups presented the same pattern of recovery with 45% in group 1 and 44% in group 2 (P = 0.96) showing SSEP activity at 30 days. At 90 days most rats showed SSEP activity (91% vs.80% respectively, P = 0.46). The CMAP also demonstrated no statistically significant differences in latency (1.39 ms in group 1 vs. 1.63 ms in group 2; P = 0.48) and amplitude (6.28 mv vs. 6.43 mv respectively; P = 0.8). Ultrasonography demonstrated tissue growth inside the chitosan tube. Gastrocnemius muscle weight showed no statistically significant difference. Histomorphometry of the distal sciatic nerve, 90 days post reconstructive procedure, showed similar number of myelinated fibers and size parameters in both groups (P ≥ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chitosan hollow tube used for peripheral nerve reconstruction of rat sciatic nerve showed similar results in comparison to autologous nerve grafting. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:664-671, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shapira
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolmasov
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nissan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
authors.forename: Evgeniy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reider
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Akiva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Tali
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biron
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Yifat
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bitan
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Livnat
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ronchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.affiliation: Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction, Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rochkind
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048271:Chitosan; D005260:Female; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D048271:Chitosan