Electrophysiological Assessment of the Effects of Silicone Tubes and Hyaluronic Acid on Nerve Regeneration in Rats with Sciatic Neurorrhaphy

Abstract

One of problems after peripheral nerve injury and surgery is scar tissue formation. Although the continuity of axons is restored, often the axonal viability and recovery is blocked by scarring. For preventing from scar formation silicone tubes are widely used. In addition, in the present study was used hyaluronic acid, which prevents adhesion. The aim of the present study is to evaluate electrophysiological results on nerve regeneration obtained after incision and reconstruction of rat sciatic nerve using only silicone tubes and silicone tubes filled with hyaluronic acid. Electrophysiological measurements were performed at 30th and 60th days after surgery. The amplitude and latency of the compound muscle action potentials and nerve conduction velocities were calculated for each rat. Although sciatic nerve conduction velocities in all operated groups not reached control values, amplitude and latency values in group with silicone tube and in group with silicone tube filled with hyaluronic acid statistically achieved control values on day 60. Silicone tubes filled with hyaluronic acid had better results compared to the silicone tubes without hyaluronic acid. Hence, the use of silicone tubes and hyaluronic acid for the reconstruction of nerve injuries seems to give good results on axonal regeneration.

Minimally Invasive Motor Nerve Conduction Study of the Rat Sciatic and Tail Nerves

“…Nerve conduction studies in rats are used in animal experimental models of chronic or acute axonal and demyelinating neuropathies, in nerve injury and regeneration studies and for better understanding effects and toxicity of several drugs [1][2][3][4][5][6]8,12] . In the human and animal medical literature, particularly in rats, numerous nerve conduction techniques have been described.…”

“…This study was performed on six normal growing male adult Wistar Albino rats, weighting 200-225 g. These rats were used as controls in previous study with the approval of the Ethic Committee on Research Animal Care at Veterinary Faculty of Kafkas University of Kars, Turkey (No 2012/30) [1] .…”

“…The CMAP recorded from indicator muscle reflects the three values: the size of the motor unit innervated by the axons, the size of motor nerve fibers responding to the stimulus and the synchronization of their response. The greater number of active fibers increases the CMAP amplitude [1,2] . The amplitude of the CMAP recorded by the proximal and distal stimulations conventionally is measured from the peak of the negative deflection to the peak of the positive deflection [1] .…”

“…The greater number of active fibers increases the CMAP amplitude [1,2] . The amplitude of the CMAP recorded by the proximal and distal stimulations conventionally is measured from the peak of the negative deflection to the peak of the positive deflection [1] . The time required for the onset of CMAP with distal stimulation is called the terminal distal latency.…”

“…In neurology, rats are used in models of human neurological diseases, neurological drug researches and for development new diagnostic neurological approaches. Particularly, rats are used for investigation of models of peripheral axonal and demyelinating neuropathies, neural tissue injury and regeneration [1][2][3][4][5][6] . Usually, in these studies scientists have used rats' sciatic nerve, because easy for stimulation, has the simple anatomy and relatively thicker than other peripheral nerves [1][2][3]6] .…”