Abstract:
Abstract: Peripheral nerve injury primarily occurs due to trauma as well as
factors such as tumors, inflammatory diseases, congenital deformities, infections,
and surgical interventions. The surgical procedure to be performed as
treatment depends on the etiology, type of injury, and the anatomic region. The
goal of treatment is to minimize loss of function due to motor and sensory
nerve loss at the distal part of the injury. Regardless of the cause of the injury,
the abnormal nerve regeneration due to incomplete nerve regeneration, optimal
treatment of peripheral nerve injuries should provide adequate coaptation
of proximal and distal sides without tension, preserving the neurotrophic
factors within the repair line. The gold standard for the treatment of nerve
defects is the autograft; however, due to denervation of the donor site, scarring,
and neuroma formation, many studies have aimed to develop simpler
methods, better functional results, and less morbidity. In this study, a defect
1 cm in length was created on the sciatic nerve of rats. The rats were treated
with the following procedures: group 1, autograft; group 2, allogeneic aorta
graft; group 3, diced cartilage graft in allogeneic aorta graft; and group 4,
tubularized cartilage graft in allogeneic aorta graft. Group 5 was the control
group. The effects of cartilage tissue in nerve regeneration were evaluated by
functional and histomorphological methods.
Group 1, for which the repair was performed with an autograft, was
evaluated to be the most similar to the control group. There was not a statistically
significant difference in myelination and Schwann cell rates between
group 2, in which an allogeneic aorta graft was used, and group 3, in which
diced cartilage in an allogeneic aorta graft was used. In group 4, myelination
and Schwann cell formation were observed; however, they were scattered and
irregular, likely due to increased fibrosis.
In all of the groups, nerve regeneration at various rates was observed
both functionally and histomorphologically. This study demonstrates that
cartilage tissue has promoting effects in nerve regeneration.
