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J Reconstr Microsurg 2013; 29(02): 077-088
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1328918
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Dog Tibial Nerve Regeneration across a 30-mm Defect Bridged by a PRGD/PDLLA/β-TCP/NGF Sustained-Release Conduit

Jifeng Huang
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan, China
2   Graduate School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
,
Jie Xiang
3   Biomedical Materials and Engineering Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
,
Qiongjiao Yan
3   Biomedical Materials and Engineering Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
,
Shipu Li
3   Biomedical Materials and Engineering Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
,
Lantang Song
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan, China
,
Xianhua Cai
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

20 March 2012

09 July 2012

Publication Date:
30 November 2012 (online)

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Abstract

Nerve conduits have emerged as alternatives to autologous nerve grafts, but their use in large-diameter, critical nerve repairs is limited. In the previous study, we prepared a PRGD/PDLLA/β-TCP/NGF sustained-release nerve conduit, which was made of RGD peptide modified poly{(lactic acid)-co-[(glycolic acid)-alt-(L-lysine)]} (PRGD), poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Here we attempted to use the PRGD/PDLLA/β-TCP/NGF sustained-release nerve conduit to bridge a 30-mm dog tibial nerve defect in six beagles. The other beagles were divided into group autograft (n = 6) as positive control and group PDLLA (n = 6) as negative control. After 9 months of implantation, nerve conduction velocities, the density of myelinated fibers, the mean diameter of axon, and the average thickness of myelin sheath in tibial nerves bridged with PRGD/PDLLA/β-TCP/NGF sustained-release nerve conduits were similar to those treated with autologous nerve (p > 0.05). Neither electrophysiological nor histological restoration was obtained in group PDLLA. Evidence is thus provided in support of the use of PRGD/PDLLA/β-TCP/NGF sustained-release nerve conduits as alternatives to autologous nerve grafts for treatment of large-diameter, critical defects in peripheral nerves.

Keywords

dog - tibial nerve - nerve growth factor - sustained-release - nerve conduit
 

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