Abstract
This study was undertaken to evaluate the application of a fibrocollagenous tube as a nerve conduit on 12 Japanese white rabbits. The fascia measuring 20×30 mm was harvested from the dorsal fascia and carefully wrapped around a silicon rod 3.0 mm in diameter. Subsequently, the fascia-wrapped silicon rod was implanted into the subcutaneous pocket on the thigh. Two weeks later, the fascia-wrapped silicon rod was taken from the subcutaneous pocket. The silicon rod was removed from the material and the fascia-wrapped f ibrocollagenous tube was crosslinked by flushing with glutaraldehyde solution. Subsequently, the 3 × 10 mm fascia-wrapped tube was prepared as a nerve conduit. Using the microvasucular technique, the tube was interposed into the divided sural nerve. As the control, a 3 × 10 mm silicon tube was interporsed into the rural nerve in the other side. Three, six, and nine weeks later, regenerated nerves were observed by the light microscope. The result was that the number of regenerated nerves of the fascia-wrapped fibrocollagenous tube was almost the same as that of the silicon tube. However, it has been suggested that laminin can induce nerve regeneration, and laminin exists in the fascia. Therefore, to confirm the existence of laminin in the tube, we performed anti-laminin and anti-melosin stains. The result was that laminin and melosin existed in the tube. It was concluded that the fascia-wrapped f ibrocollagenous tube may be used clinically in the future as a nerve conduit after some improvements.
