Protocol of a Nerve Neurotmesis Sciatic Repair using Polyvinyl Alcohol Biofilm in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Background Animal models are commonly used to assess the efficacy of new materials to be employed in the surgical repair of a nerve injury. However, there is no published surgical repair protocol for sciatic nerve neurotmesis in rats.

Objective To produce and evaluate a protocol for the tubing technique using a polyvinyl alcohol biofilm after sciatic nerve neurotmesis.

Methods Eighteen rats were randomized into 3 groups (n = 6 per group): control group - CG, neurotmesis group - NG, and neurotmesis biofilm group - NBG. The NG and NBG animals were submitted to neurotmesis of the sciatic nerve at 60 days of life, followed by suture of the nerve stumps; in the NBG, the animals had the suture involved by polyvinyl alcohol biofilm. A descriptive evaluation of the surgical technique was performed after the experimental period. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test was used for body weight, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni posthoc (p < 0.05) was applied.

Results All groups showed good repair of the skin and muscle sutures; however, 33.30% of the CG presented disruption of skin points. Furthermore, 16.70% of the stumps were not structurally aligned and 33.30% had neuromas in the NG, while in the NBG, all stumps were aligned and none of them had neuroma .

Conclusions The present study was able to produce a protocol with high reproducibility in view of the mechanical stability, targeting of the nerve stumps, muscle healing, the low frequency of skin breakage and the low complexity level of the technique, and it can be used in future studies that aim to evaluate other biomaterials for nerve repair in rats.

Resumo

Introdução Modelos animais são comumente utilizados para avaliar a eficácia de novos materiais a ser empregados no reparo cirúrgico de lesões nervosas. No entanto, não há protocolo de reparo cirúrgico publicado para neurotmese do nervo ciático em ratos.

Objetivo Produzir e avaliar um protocolo para a técnica de tubulização usando um biofilme de álcool polivinílico após uma neurotmese do nervo ciático.

Métodos Dezoito ratos foram randomizados em três grupos (n = 6 por grupo): grupo controle - GC, grupo neurotmese - GN e grupo neurotmese biofilme - GNB. Os animais do GN e do GNB foram submetidos à neurotmese do nervo ciático aos 60 dias de vida, seguida de sutura dos cotos do nervo; no GNB, os animais tiveram a sutura envolvida por biofilme de álcool polivinílico. Após o período experimental, foi realizada avaliação descritiva da técnica cirúrgica. Para o peso corporal, foi utilizado o teste de normalidade Shapiro-Wilk e aplicada a análise de variância (ANOVA) com posthoc de Bonferroni (p < 0,05).

Resultados Todos os grupos apresentaram bom reparo de suturas de pele e musculares; porém, 33,30% do GC apresentou rompimento dos pontos da pele. Além disso, 16,70% dos cotos não estavam estruturalmente alinhados e 33,30% apresentavam neuromas no GN, enquanto todos os cotos estavam alinhados e nenhum apresentava neuroma no GNB.

Conclusões O presente estudo foi capaz de produzir um protocolo com alta reprodutibilidade tendo em vista a estabilidade mecânica, direcionamento dos cotos nervosos, cicatrização muscular, a baixa frequência de rompimento da pele e o baixo nível de complexidade da técnica, podendo ser utilizado em estudos futuros que avaliem outros biomateriais para reparo de nervo em ratos.

Keywords

biofilm - neurosurgical procedure - peripheral nerve injuries - rats - sciatic nerve

Palavras-chave

biofilme - procedimento neurocirúrgico - lesões nervosas periféricas - ratos - nervo ciático

Ethical Declaration

The procedures used for handling and caring for animals are in accordance with international standards established by the National Institute of Health Guide for Care and Use of Animal, and the project was approved by the Ethics Committee on the Use of Laboratory Animals (CEUA, in the Portuguese acronym) of the Biological Sciences Center - Universidade Federal de Pernambuco under protocol number 23076.052306/2017–10.

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 27. Mai 2021

Angenommen: 13. Oktober 2021

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
18. Oktober 2023

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