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J Reconstr Microsurg 2014; 30(05): 329-334
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1356551
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Comparison between Flexible Collagen and Vein Conduits Used for Size-Discrepant Nerve Repair: An Experimental Study in Rats

Ahmet Demir
1   Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
,
Tekin Simsek
1   Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
,
Murat Acar
2   Division of Plastic Surgery, Clinic of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Mehmet Aydin Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
,
Abit Aktaş
3   Department of Histology and Embryology, İstanbul University School of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
,
Rinkse Vlamings
4   Department of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
Mustafa Ayyıldız
5   Department of Physiology, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
,
Mehmet Yıldırım
6   Department of Physiology, Karadeniz Technical University School of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
,
Yasin Temel
4   Department of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
Süleyman Kaplan
7   Department of Histology and Embryology, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

28 March 2013

25 July 2013

Publication Date:
28 March 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Primary nerve repair is the gold standard in nerve reconstruction. When primary repair is not possible for injured nerves, conduit-assisted repair methods are frequently used. As conduits, autologous vein segments or allogenic biodegradable products can be used. However, their effectiveness when used in a nerve defect where a size discrepancy exists has not been compared. In this study, either a vein graft or a synthetic collagen conduit was used to bridge 10-mm defects between size-discrepant tibial and peroneal nerves in a rat model. After 90 days, nerve regeneration was evaluated using electrophysiological and histological methods. It can be concluded based on the results of this study that bridging a 10-mm nerve gap with synthetic collagen conduits and autologous vein grafts yielded similar results in small-to-large nerve coaptations, with the vein graft being slightly more effective.

Keywords

size discrepancy - collagen conduit - vein conduit
 

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