A Long Peripheral Nerve Autograft Model in the Sheep Forelimb
- 1 May 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Neurosurgery
- Vol. 68 (5), 1354-1362
- https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.0b013e31820c08de
Abstract
Autologous nerve grafts remain the only proven means of bridging lengthy gaps in peripheral nerve. However, there is very little literature on a reliable long (> 5 cm) nerve autograft animal model. To establish a reproducible long nerve gap and autograft animal model that is clinically relevant but not cost prohibitive. The extent of nerve regeneration and electrophysiological recovery after segmental repair of a long nerve defect was evaluated with a sheep model. Thirteen Suffolk sheep were used. An 18-cm segment of radial sensory nerve was harvested from the forelimb, trimmed, divided into 2 equal segments of 7 cm each, and microsurgically repaired to a surgically created defect of 5 cm in the median nerve within the same forelimb. Electrophysiological studies were performed on 6 sheep at 6 months and 6 sheep at 9 months. Samples of the grafted segments were obtained for histology, immunohistochemistry, and morphometric analyses. Electric studies were also performed on an uninjured median nerve of a control animal in tissue that was similarly harvested and processed. At 6 and 9 months, all sheep had recordable robust nerve action potentials. Nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were slightly decreased compared with control, but the difference was statistically insignificant. Histomorphometric assessment demonstrated that the autografts contained a large number of regenerating axons through graft fascicles in all animals. The median nerve in the sheep forelimb is a reproducible and reliable model for assessing regeneration through long peripheral nerve grafts.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- Chondroitinase treatment increases the effective length of acellular nerve graftsExperimental Neurology, 2007
- Dog sciatic nerve regeneration across a 30-mm defect bridged by a chitosan/PGA artificial nerve graftBrain, 2005
- Anti-CD40 Ligand Antibody Permits Regeneration through Peripheral Nerve Allografts in a Nonhuman Primate ModelPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2004
- Synergistic improvements in cell and axonal migration across sciatic nerve lesion gaps using bioresorbable filaments and heregulin‐β1Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2004
- Long-Segment Nerve Allograft Regeneration in the Sheep Model:Experimental Study and Review of the LiteratureJournal of Reconstructive Microsurgery, 1996
- The peripheral nerve allograft: A comprehensive review of regeneration and neuroimmunologyProgress in Neurobiology, 1994
- Degenerated muscle grafts used for peripheral nerve repair in primatesJournal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), 1986
- Nerve Regeneration Through a Pseudosynovial Sheath in a Primate ModelPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1985
- Histological studies of experimental interfascicular graft repairsJournal of Neurosurgery, 1979
- Experimental interfascicular nerve graftingJournal of Neurosurgery, 1979